Madbouly reviews drilling operations after promising gas find off Port Said

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Sunday visited the Egyptian offshore drilling rig Al Qaher-2 after it successfully completed drilling operations at the exploratory well Dennis West 1X within the Tamsah concession area off the coast of Port Said in the Mediterranean Sea.

The drilling campaign led to a significant natural gas discovery, with estimated reserves of about 2 trillion cubic feet of gas, along with nearly 130 million barrels of condensates, reinforcing Egypt’s ongoing exploration momentum.

Madbouly highlighted the government’s commitment to adopting and localizing advanced technologies that enhance oil and gas productivity, drawing on successful international and regional models through partnerships with leading drilling service providers, technology firms, and production partners.

He explained that presidential directives call for establishing a comprehensive framework to advance exploration, research, and field development activities, with the goal of securing domestic energy needs and reducing reliance on imports. The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources is actively implementing these plans in coordination with sector stakeholders and operating companies.

The Prime Minister also stressed that the government is working diligently to settle outstanding financial obligations to foreign energy companies operating in Egypt, while simultaneously strengthening efforts to attract new investments into the energy sector.

These steps are designed to support the petroleum sector’s growth targets and enhance its contribution to economic development, alongside preparing integrated infrastructure to handle liquefied natural gas imports and deploy regasification vessels, in parallel with continued expansion of local production and exploration activities.

During the tour, Madbouly inspected the rig and its main control room, where he received a detailed briefing on its technical capabilities and its role within Egypt’s offshore drilling fleet. The rig is operated by the Modern Drilling Company (MDC) using advanced drilling technologies.

He also reviewed a presentation from Tharwat El-Gendy, Chairman of Belayim Petroleum Company (Petrobel), outlining recent progress in the Tamsah concession area.

Operations in the field were conducted in water depths of roughly 98 meters, utilizing directional drilling techniques to reach depths exceeding 4,000 meters, enabling successful access to gas-bearing geological formations.