Shell successfully drills Sirius 1X gas well in Egypt – ministry

Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum said on Monday that Shell successfully drilled its first gas exploration well of 2026 in the Mediterranean, with initial results showing promising indicators for new resources.

The Sirius 1X Well, located in the Northeast Amiriya area, reached a total depth of 2,115 metres, opening prospects for gas extraction from the Sirius layer. The ministry said an early development decision could be made in 2027.

The discovery is expected to be tied into production by 2029 as a later phase of the Mina West field development. Meanwhile, drilling at Mina West 2 continues, with production scheduled to start before the end of this year.

Shell’s Sirius 1X is its first exploratory well in 2026, part of a broader strategy to expand gas exploration and production across its Mediterranean concessions. The company continues drilling Mina West 2 in parallel.

Minister of Petroleum Karim Badawy recently inspected the area, underlining efforts to boost domestic natural gas output. Shell and its partner Kuwait Energy, in cooperation with the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), said they optimised Mina West 2 drilling to collect geological and technical data for Sirius 1X, avoiding an additional well and achieving significant cost savings.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser