Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has identified promising potential for unconventional oil production in parts of the Western Desert, following technical studies conducted by oilfield services company NESR in cooperation with a US institution and international specialists, according to a minsitry statement on October 30.
Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi met NESR Chairman and CEO Sherif Foda to review the findings, which could open new opportunities to increase domestic crude oil production by tapping resources that cannot be recovered economically through conventional methods, the statement said.
The studies identified potential in certain concession areas operated by oil-producing companies in the Western Desert, according to the petroleum ministry.
It added that resources are contained in low-permeability rock formations that restrict the flow of crude oil, potentially requiring specialized technologies such as hydraulic fracturing to improve recovery.
Badawi said evaluating and developing unconventional oil resources was part of the ministry’s strategy to diversify production sources and increase crude output.
He added that the plan also includes intensifying exploration, accelerating the development of new discoveries and improving production efficiency at existing fields.
The meeting agreed to take practical steps to assess the findings in coordination with NESR, the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) and the operators of the targeted concession areas. The next phase is expected to include a programme of pilot wells to test the resources and assess the technical and economic feasibility of expanding unconventional oil production.
Specialists are expected to visit Egypt to discuss the studies with EGPC’s production team and identify the technical requirements, technologies and implementation steps needed to move towards field trials.
NESR expanded its presence in Egypt in 2020 through the acquisition of Sahara Petroleum Services Company (SAPESCO), an Egyptian oilfield services provider. Its services include hydraulic fracturing, well stimulation and drilling support.
In 2024, NESR completed Egypt’s first unconventional multistage fracturing assignment, targeting the Abu Rawash F formation.
