Production from the Zohr natural gas field—which could begin within days—should permit Egypt to achieve natural gas self-sufficiency in 2018, the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Tarek El Molla, said, according to Amwal Al Ghad.

The ministry of petroleum aims to increase natural gas production to 6.4 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) by mid-2018, Al Borsa  previously reported.

Current national production is at 5.5 bcf/d, but output from the Zohr and Nooros fields alone are projected to increase the total by 850 million cubic feet per day (mcf/d), according to sources at the ministry.

The Zohr field is expected to be producing 350 mcf/d of natural gas by the end of December before rising to 750 mcf/d next year.