Khalda Petroleum Company, a joint venture (JV) between Apache and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), has brought its SKAL-02 development well online within 50 days of starting drilling, accelerating the development of natural gas and condensates from the Shifa formation, the company said on October 15.

Drilling results identified 385 feet of hydrocarbon-bearing formations, with promising production indicators, the company added.

According to the company, the well was drilled 14% faster than benchmarks for wells of similar depth, while completion time was 18% shorter than standard durations.

The operation also achieved 9% in cost savings and recorded zero non-productive time (NPT), alongside strong safety performance.

Khalda said the achievement reflected coordinated planning and execution across its planning, drilling, completion, and production teams, helping accelerate the transition from discovery to production while reducing costs.

The company added that the project supported its efforts to strengthen Egypt’s domestic energy supply and generate sustainable value for shareholders, with safety remaining a priority throughout the operation.

On October 14, Khalda announced improving its drilling performance by completing three consecutive wells within one month using a single rig.