CAIRO, May 21– The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources announced on Thursday a major discovery in the country’s Western Desert, with initial estimates indicating reserves of approximately 330 billion cubic feet of gas, alongside 10 million barrels of condensates and crude oil.
Marking the largest discovery in the area in 15 years, the combined reserves are equivalent to around 70 million barrels of oil equivalent, the ministry said in a statement.
The breakthrough was achieved via the South Bostan-1X exploratory well, which struck pay zones totaling 400 feet thick, confirming significant production and economic potential, the ministry said.
The find gains further strategic importance due to its proximity to existing infrastructure and production facilities, located just 10 km away, enabling an early tie-in to production systems, it added.
The Egyptian government has been seeking to increase oil and gas output following a decline in natural gas production over the past few years.
In August 2025, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said Egypt’s gas production stood at 4.1 billion cubic feet per day, with plans to reach 6.6 billion cubic feet per day by 2027.
The ministry said Egypt plans to drill more than 100 exploratory wells this year to secure new energy reserves. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
