BP starts natural gas production at Katameya field in Egypt
On Monday, British oil giant British Petroleum (BP) announced the start of gas production from the Katameya field in Egypt.
According to Reuters news agency, BP expects the field's production to reach 50 million cubic meters of gas per day from one well.
The field, located in the North Damietta marine concession area east of the Nile Delta, was discovered in 2017.
BP's regional director for North Africa, Karim Alaa, said: "BP's assets and existing marine infrastructure have contributed to the economic and effective development of the Katameya field, which is a good example of how hydrocarbon resource development is compatible with global economic changes.
The field was developed through the Pharaonic Petroleum Company, whose ownership structure includes BP and EGAS, and is connected to the Tort and Habi fields through a 50 km pipeline. BP owns the entire North Damietta concession in the eastern Nile Delta.
The British company and the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum signed an agreement with the North Damietta Marine concession area in 2010, and BP's total investments in Egypt amount to around $30 billion since it began operating in Egypt 55 years ago.
According to official data issued by the Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources, Egypt's total natural gas production currently stands at around 6.6 billion cubic metres per day of gas.
The Delta fields rank second with 19% of Egypt's total gas resources, then the Western Desert with 18% and finally the Gulf of Suez with 1%.
Since 2015 alone, that is, in less than five years, Egypt has announced several huge gas discoveries in the Mediterranean.
In less than three months, the Italian Eni Oil Company announced two new discoveries in Egypt, which are expected to have a significant impact on Egypt's gas wealth.
And last July, Eni announced the discovery of the first natural gas field in the North Hammad concession area in the Nile Delta in Egyptian territorial waters, off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
Eni also announced a new gas discovery in Egypt's Mediterranean waters, in the Greater Nawras area located in the West Abu Madi concession.
