Eni and BP have made a new natural gas discovery in the Nile Delta region, utilizing advanced directional drilling technology to reach offshore reservoirs from an onshore location. The well is expected to produce approximately 50 million cubic feet of gas per day.

The Nidoco N-2 exploration well is situated in the West Abu Madi area of the Sheikh Zuweid province. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the well is located in shallow waters about 3 kilometers from the shore but was drilled from land using directional drilling techniques, a method aimed at reducing costs and improving operational efficiency.

Egypt's Minister of Petroleum, Karim Badawi, visited the EDC-56 drilling rig that carried out the operation. He stated that this discovery, along with increased production from existing fields, reflects progress in the sector's efforts to clear outstanding debts owed to foreign partners. The government aims to fully settle these arrears by the end of June, he added, noting that regular payments have encouraged partners to ramp up drilling, production, and development activities.

The ministry indicated that the well is located less than 2 kilometers from existing production infrastructure, allowing for a quick tie-in and accelerated production startup within weeks.

Badawi emphasized that the discovery demonstrates how existing infrastructure can be leveraged to boost output and support domestic gas supply, while also highlighting Eni's continued exploration success in Egypt. The West Abu Madi development area is operated by Eni, BP, and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation through Petrobel, a joint venture between EGPC and Eni.