Shell Egypt and its partners will start drilling three new natural gas wells by late January as part of the 11th phase of the West Delta Deep Marine (WDDM) development project in the Mediterranean, according to a senior government official cited by Asharq Business.
These wells are expected to produce an additional 150 million cubic feet of natural gas daily by the end of 2025, with initial investments estimated at $230 million, the official revealed.
The Scarabeo 9 offshore drilling rig, which previously drilled three wells during the 10th phase and boosted production by 170 million cubic feet of gas per day, will be deployed for the project.
The decision to begin drilling follows a commercial agreement between Shell and the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) on the pricing of gas from the new wells.
In December, EGAS finalized agreements with Shell and BP Plc to begin production at the Harmattan natural gas field in the Mediterranean during the first quarter of 2026.
African Energy Council