Written by: Karim Hammam
The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources announced the actual start of operation of the second phase of the Meleiha oilfields development project located in the Western Desert. This strategic step comes as part of the Egyptian state's endeavors aimed at raising local natural gas production rates and enhancing the production capacities of the energy sector, in close cooperation with the strategic partner, the Italian company Eni.
Details of the second phase of the Meleiha project
The second phase of the project aims to enhance the gas processing capacity to reach about 100 million cubic feet per day, which represents a qualitative addition to the national gas network. The construction works for this phase included drilling and equipping new gas wells, in addition to establishing advanced networks to collect production from field fields, and laying main transmission lines connecting the wells to processing centers.
The operational plan for the second phase includes the establishment of a new line dedicated to gas export operations, which contributes directly to linking the new production with the existing infrastructure with high efficiency. This updated infrastructure aims to accelerate the pace of gas pumping into the network, which achieves tangible economic benefits and supports the continuity of energy flows necessary to meet the needs of the local market and industrial activities.
Strengthening the strategic partnership with Eni
The Meleiha project is a model of ongoing cooperation between the Egyptian petroleum sector and the Italian company Eni, which is a key partner in exploration and development operations in the Western Desert. This region is classified among the most geologically promising areas in Egypt, where the ministry is betting on intensifying activities in it to increase reserves of gas and crude oil.
The ministry stressed that the project is at the core of its strategy aimed at achieving energy security, with full commitment to occupational safety standards and environmental sustainability during all stages of implementation. The Egyptian state continues its plans to maximize the utilization of available natural resources, by adopting modern technologies in drilling and production operations to raise the efficiency of existing fields, reduce losses, and ensure the sustainability of supplies to support national development plans, with a focus on reducing carbon emissions in all petroleum sites in compliance with international environmental standards.
