The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has launched an integrated programme to drill 11 new wells, expected to yield approximately 160 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The project will also add a daily output of around 100 million cubic feet of gas and 2,000 barrels of condensates. Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi made a field visit to Dakahleya to inspect ongoing drilling operations at the Begonia-2 well, located in the New Mansoura concession area. The well is operated by Wasco Petroleum in partnership with Dana Gas. The visit comes as part of the ministry's first strategic pillar, which focuses on ramping up domestic production to meet local demand for petroleum products and natural gas. This involves accelerating exploration and development efforts across new concession areas. The Begonia-2 well is particularly significant as it serves as an appraisal well for the broader Begonia development area. It aims to assess natural gas reserves within the Abu Madi formation in the Miocene layer. Preliminary estimates suggest the reservoir may hold up to 9 billion cubic feet of gas, contributing to future development plans and providing a qualitative boost to local production. The Ministry of Petroleum is working to increase natural gas output across various geographic regions—including the onshore Nile Delta—to ensure a stable supply to the national gas grid. It also continues to closely track the implementation of exploration and production programmes through its affiliated companies, with the aim of maximising returns from available resources. These efforts are being carried out in collaboration with both local and international partners, and are supported by newly introduced incentive packages aimed at encouraging domestic oil and gas production. These initiatives contribute to strengthening the national energy system and advancing broader economic development objectives.
