Egypt’s Zohr gas field output surges to 2.7 bln cubic feet/day: minister

Natural gas production at Egypt’s mammoth offshore Zohr gas field in the Mediterranean has risen to 2.7 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd), petroleum minister announced on Wednesday.

Tarek el-Molla said in a ministry statement that the current production level was reached four months ahead of schedule.

In February, Egypt’s petroleum ministry said the field’s production reached 2.1 bcfd, while the government aims to raise production to 3 bcfd by the end of the year.

There are now 12 wells in production in the field, the statement said.

The largest gas field in the Mediterranean, Zohr was discovered in 2015 by Italy’s Eni and began output in late 2017. It contains an estimated 30 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Eni controls 50 percent of the project; while Kremlin-controlled Rosneft owns 30 percent. BP and Mubadala Petroleum each have a 10 percent stake in Zohr.

Higher output helped Egypt become self-sufficient in natural gas in late 2018. Zohr’s discovery piqued investor interest in Egypt’s gas market and renewed the country’s hopes of becoming a regional energy hub.