Eni has started production of the first gas from the giant Zohr field, in the Shorouk Block, offshore Egypt.
The Zohr gas field was discovered by Eni in August 2015 and is estimated to have a total potential of up to 30 trillion cubic feet of gas in place.
It is the largest gas discovery ever made in Egypt and in the Mediterranean Sea, and will be able to satisfy a part of Egypt’s natural gas demand for decades to come, the company explained.
Eni’s CEO, Claudio Descalzi, said: “Today is a historic day for us. The start-up of Zohr is the direct result of our unique know-how, our ability to innovate in technology and of our tenacity in pursuing even the most challenging goals, of which we are very proud.
“It will completely transform Egypt’s energy landscape, allowing it to become self-sufficient and to turn from an importer of natural gas into a future exporter. I would like to thank the Egyptian authorities and all our partners in this incredible project for their all-important contributions and the whole Egyptian petroleum sector which provided full support to achieve Zohr project in a record time.”
Eni holds a 60% stake in Shorouk Block, Rosneft 30% and BP 10%.