Eni fires up third production unit at Egypt’s giant Zohr gas field

Italian energy giant Eni has brought up the third production unit (T-2) at its Zohr gas field in the Mediterranean Sea offshore Egypt.

This will increase installed capacity to 1.2 bcfd, Eni said on Thursday.

Zohr is now producing 1.1 bcfd in ramp-up, equivalent to approximately 200 thousand boed, of which 75,000 boed net to Eni at current working interest.

This result has been achieved only a few months after the field’s start-up in December 2017, Eni noted in its statement.

The third unit, following just one week after the second unit’s successful power-up, confirms the programme pursued by Eni, its co-venturers and Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) to pursue a production level of 2 bcfd by end 2018, followed by a plateau of 2.7 bcfd in 2019.

“The latest achievement reinforces the exceptional development path of Zohr, one of Eni’s seven record-breaking projects, which is playing a fundamental role in supporting Egypt’s independence from LNG imports,” the company said.

The Zohr field, the largest gas discovery ever made in Egypt and in the Mediterranean Sea with more than 30 tcf of gas in place, is located within the offshore Shorouk Block (some 190 km north of Port Said).

In the Shorouk Block, Eni holds a 60% stake, Rosneft 30% and BP 10% of the contractor’s share.

The project is executed by Petrobel, the operating company jointly held by Eni and the state corporation Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), on behalf of Petroshorouk, jointly held by contractor (Eni and its partners) and the state company Egyptian Natural Gas holding Company (EGAS).