Egypt Eyes a Second Oil Boom Under the Western Desert as Studies Flag Unconventional Crude Locked in Tight Rock
Egypt believes there may be a new source of crude oil beneath the Western Desert. The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has identified promising potential for unconventional oil production in parts of the region, following technical studies by oilfield services company NESR in cooperation with a US institution and international specialists, according to a ministry statement on Oct. 30.
Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi met NESR Chairman and CEO Sherif Foda to review the findings, which could open the way to higher domestic crude output by tapping resources that cannot be recovered economically by conventional methods. The studies identified potential in certain concession areas operated by oil-producing companies in the Western Desert.
The resources sit in low-permeability rock that restricts the flow of oil, so recovery could require specialised technologies such as hydraulic fracturing. Badawi said evaluating and developing unconventional oil is part of the ministry’s strategy to diversify production sources and raise crude output. He added that the plan also includes intensifying exploration, accelerating the development of new discoveries and improving production efficiency at existing fields.
The meeting agreed to take practical steps to assess the findings with NESR, EGPC and the operators of the targeted concessions. The next phase is expected to include a programme of pilot wells to test the resources and judge whether expanding unconventional oil production is technically and economically feasible. Specialists are expected to visit Egypt to discuss the studies with EGPC’s production team and to pin down the technical requirements, technologies and steps needed to move towards field trials.
NESR expanded in Egypt in 2020 through its acquisition of Sahara Petroleum Services Company (SAPESCO), an Egyptian oilfield services provider. Its services include hydraulic fracturing, well stimulation and drilling support, and in 2024 it completed Egypt’s first unconventional multistage fracturing assignment, targeting the Abu Rawash F formation.
Source: egyptoil-gas.com
