Italy’s energy giant Eni is moving forward at full speed with its drilling program in Egypt’s Gulf of Suez, with the country’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources recently visiting the drilling site to inspect progress on the first well in the campaign.
Karim Badawi, Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, toured the drilling activities at well 133, which Belayim Petroleum Company (Petrobel) is conducting from aboard the Trident 16 drilling rig. The rig belongs to ADES following the firm’s merger with Shelf Drilling, completed earlier this year.
Badawi was accompanied by senior officials including Salah Abdel Karim, CEO of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Samir Raslan, Undersecretary of the Ministry for Agreements and Exploration, Tharwat El Gendy, Chairman of Petrobel, Francesco Gaspari, Chairman of Eni Production (a subsidiary of the Italian player in Egypt), and Mahmoud Abu El Yazid, Vice President of the same firm.
During the visit, the Petrobel team, which operates in the region on behalf of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation and Eni, reviewed the latest activities in the Gulf of Suez and Sinai fields. The team presented the latest technologies currently being used to maximize the benefits of the region’s promising potential and open new horizons for production.
The minister highlighted that the start of Eni’s new program reflects the confidence the firm has in Egypt’s hydrocarbon sector and its commitment to intensify research, exploration, and production activities. Eni is described as the largest investor in the Egyptian energy sector, and the intensified activities are expected to enhance crude oil production capacities to reduce the country’s import bill.
The Trident 16 rig is currently operating in the Gulf of Suez within Sinai fields, where well 133 is targeting a depth of more than 2,600 meters.
Source: offshore-energy.biz