Eni Discovers Up to 30 Tcf of Gas at Zohr, Egypt’s Largest-Ever Gas Field
Eni has discovered natural gas reserves estimated at up to 30 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) in Egypt’s Zohr field, marking the largest gas discovery ever recorded in the country and a turning point for its energy sector.
Hamdy Abdel-Aziz, spokesperson for Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum, said the find increases Egypt’s total natural gas reserves by roughly one-third. Egypt’s proven gas reserves currently stand at about 65 Tcf.
According to Eni, the Zohr well contains around 30 Tcf of lean gas in place, equivalent to approximately 5.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
The field covers an area of nearly 100 square kilometers and is located offshore in the Mediterranean Sea.
Eni said Zohr is not only the largest gas discovery in Egypt but also the biggest ever made in the Mediterranean, with the potential to rank among the world’s largest natural gas finds.
The discovery was made in the Shorouk offshore block, which was awarded to Eni in January 2014 following an international bidding round.
The Zohr well lies within Egypt’s Mediterranean economic waters at a water depth of around 1,450 meters (4,757 feet).
Abdel-Aziz said gas production from Zohr is expected to begin within 30 to 36 months. He added that the government believes Egypt could return to gas self-sufficiency within five years, supported by the Zohr development and other anticipated discoveries.
In recent years, Egypt has shifted from being a net exporter of natural gas to a net importer, as rising domestic demand coincided with declining production.
The energy sector, already under strain since 2008, faced further challenges after the 2011 uprising, when mounting debts to foreign oil companies and reduced investment slowed output.
Eni Chief Executive Officer Claudio Descalzi said the Zohr discovery could eliminate the need for gas imports for decades.
He described the field as a strategic resource for Egypt’s long-term energy security, noting that total gas and oil potential at Zohr could reach as much as 40 Tcf.
Eni, Italy’s state-controlled energy company, has operated in Egypt through its subsidiary IEOC Production B.V. since 1954 and currently produces around 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the country.
At Egypt’s economic development conference in March, Eni signed agreements with the government committing about $5 billion in investments over four to five years.
In July, Egypt and Eni updated those agreements following the discovery of additional gas reserves estimated at up to 15 billion cubic meters in the Nile Delta.
During the March conference, Egypt secured approximately $40 billion in energy-related agreements as part of broader efforts to revive an economy weakened by years of political instability.
