Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi, accompanied by senior officials from the petroleum sector, recently inspected the development and production activities of natural gas fields in the West Nile Delta region of the Mediterranean Sea.
The operations are being carried out by the British company BP (British Petroleum).
Minister Badawi and his delegation visited the offshore drilling ship “Valaris DS-12” to oversee the drilling of two new development wells aimed at producing natural gas and condensate at the Raven gas field, part of the West Nile Delta fields.
This initiative is part of the petroleum sector’s plan to enhance natural gas resources in collaboration with BP.
The ongoing drilling of the two wells, West Raven-4 and West Raven-5, is expected to contribute approximately 200 million cubic feet of gas and 8,000 barrels of condensates per day during the third quarter of the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
The investment for drilling these wells is estimated at $200 million. Additionally, plans are in place to drill two more wells in the Giza and Fayoum areas of the Mediterranean, with an investment of $120 million, following the completion of the Raven wells.
The inspection began with a safety briefing on board the drilling vessel, emphasizing the importance of maintaining safety standards. Minister Badawi met with the team and received an overview of the advanced technologies used in deep-water drilling operations.
He monitored the current drilling activities and emphasized the importance of cooperation with major international companies like BP to boost natural gas production and enhance the productivity of existing fields through modern technologies.
Minister Badawi highlighted BP’s six-decade partnership with Egypt, underscoring its pivotal role in the country‘s petroleum and gas sector.
He noted that BP’s continued investment in Egypt’s Mediterranean waters for gas exploration and production aligns with the sector’s priorities to increase production.
The minister also pointed out the numerous investment opportunities to further develop this partnership.
The minister stressed the importance of strictly adhering to safety protocols in production and drilling facilities, noting that safety is essential not only for protecting the workforce but also for ensuring the success and continuity of projects.
