The operator of the Great Nooros Area, Eni, and its contractor member, BP, announced a new gas discovery in the Abu Madi West Development Lease in the conventional waters of the Nile Delta, offshore Egypt.

This new discovery was achieved through the Nidoco NW-1 exploratory well located in 16 metres of water depth, 5 kilometres from the coast and 4 kilometres from the Nooros field. The exploratory well discovered has-bearing sands for a total thickness of 100 metres, of which 50 metres is within the Pliocene sands of the Kafr-El-Sheik formations and 50 metres is within the Messinian age sandstone of the Abu Madi formation. Both levels are said to be with good petrophysical properties.

Considering the extension of the reservoir towards north and the dynamic behaviour of the field and with the recent discoveries performed in the area, the preliminary evaluation of the well results indicates that the Great Nooros Area gas in place can be estimated in excess of 4 trillion cubic feet.

Eni and its partner BP, together with the Egyptian Petroleum Sector, will commence screening the development options of the new discovery benefitting of the synergies with the existing infrastructures in the area.

In the Abu Madi formations a new level, which was not yet encountered in the Nooros field, has been crossed proving the high potential of the Great Nooros Area and the further extension of the gas potential to the North of the field.

Eni, through its subsidiary, the Italian Egyptian Oil Company (IEOC), holds a 75% stake in the license of Abu Madi West Development Lease, while BP holds the remaining 25% stake. The operator is Petrobel, an equal joint venture between IEOC and the state company Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC).

The current equity production of IEOC is about 300,000 boepd.