The  Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Co.

(EGAS) is holding intensive meetings with Italian Eni officials to speed up linking  Eni’s new discovery Zohr field, in the Shorouk concession to the national gas grid, reported Daily News Egypt.

A prominent official at EGAS said negotiations are underway with Eni officials regarding the production plan, namely the speeding up the process, and increasing the gas volume that will be pumped in the first phase of the project.

He added that initial production from the field will begin in 2017, noting that the early beginning of production will coincide with the first phase BP’s North Alexandria concession, which is expected to produce 200 mscfd by September 2017, and reach 400 mscfd by October 2017.