Egypt Discovers New Oil Field in Western Desert Amid Energy Supply Challenges

The General Petroleum Company (GPC) has announced a promising new oil discovery in Egypt’s Western Desert, providing a welcome boost to domestic production amid growing energy sector pressures.
The GPR-1X well in the Abu Sennan fields has demonstrated strong initial performance, producing up to 1,400 barrels of crude oil and approximately 1 million cubic feet of gas per day from the Behaira layer. The discovery adds an estimated 2 million barrels of recoverable reserves to Egypt’s energy portfolio.
GPC Chairman Mohamed Abdel Meguid confirmed that the well is currently undergoing comprehensive production testing and has shown promising hydrocarbon indicators throughout the evaluation process. This marks the second significant discovery in Abu Sennan within three months, aligning with the ministry’s strategic push to increase domestic output and boost production from mature fields.
The company credited advanced artificial intelligence tools for assisting in the discovery, highlighting the continued potential for new finds in the Western Desert region. The use of AI technology represents a modern approach to exploration that could unlock additional resources in this established petroleum province.
This discovery comes at a critical time for Egypt’s energy sector, which is facing mounting pressure from regional tensions and declining gas supplies that are straining electricity production capabilities. The country’s domestic gas production has fallen to 4.1 billion cubic feet per day while demand exceeds 6 billion cubic feet, creating significant supply-demand imbalances.
Source: english.ahram.org.eg