US independent producer Vaalco Energy has kicked off its 2026 onshore drilling campaign in Egypt with positive results, bringing the HE9 development well online in early June at the Badr Oil Field (BED-1) in the Western Desert. The well encountered 26 metres of net pay in the Asl B reservoir in the Gulf of Suez, delivering a gross initial flow rate of 529 barrels of oil per day — a result that surpassed the company’s pre-drill expectations.
In Gabon, Vaalco reported strong production from the Ebouri 5H well, which was drilled at the crest of the Ebouri field and encountered 300 metres of net pay in high-quality Gamba sands. The well is producing 8,000 barrels per day gross, equivalent to 4,700 barrels per day net to Vaalco, with minimal water cut, making it one of the company’s best-performing wells in recent memory.
“We are very pleased with the strong production from Ebouri 5H in Gabon and the positive start to our Egypt programme with HE9. With additional wells planned in Gabon and Egypt, and the restart of the Baobab field, we are confident that 2026 will be a profitable year. Our focus remains on execution, organic growth, and delivering value to shareholders,” said George Maxwell, Vaalco’s Chief Executive Officer.
Vaalco announced in May a six-well drilling programme in Egypt scheduled for the second quarter of 2026. The campaign was not included in the original budget and will proceed without any increase to the company’s total capital expenditure guidance, reflecting the favourable economics of the new wells identified through ongoing evaluation.
Source: egyptoil-gas.com