BP Discovers Gas in Salamat Well in Egypt

9 September 2013

BP Egypt today announced a significant gas discovery in the East Nile Delta. The deepwater exploration well, named Salamat, is the deepest well ever drilled in the Nile Delta. It is the first well in the North Damietta Offshore concession granted in February 2010 and operated by BP.

The well was drilled using the sixth generation semi-submersible rig “Maersk Discoverer” in water depth of 649 metres and reaching a total depth of around 7,000 metres. The wireline logs, fluid samples and pressure data confirmed the presence of gas and condensate in 38m net of Oligocene sands in Salamat. Further appraisal will be required to better define the field resources and to evaluate the options for developing the discovery.

Mike Daly, Executive Vice President Exploration at BP, commented: “Success with Salamat proves hydrocarbons in the centre of a 50-km long structure. With a hydrocarbon column in excess of 180 metres, the discovery increases our confidence in the materiality of the deep Oligocene play in the East Nile Delta.”

Hesham Mekawi, BP Egypt Regional President said: “The Salamat discovery is a great outcome for our first well in this core exploration programme in the East Nile Delta. It shows our commitment to meeting Egypt’s energy needs by exploring the deep potential offshore the Nile Delta. Standalone and tie-back to the nearby Temsah infrastructure development options are currently being evaluated.”

The Salamat discovery is located around 75 kilometres north of Damietta city and only 35 kilometres to the North West of the Temsah offshore facilities. BP has 100% equity in the discovery.

BP has a long and successful track record in Egypt stretching back 50 years, with investments exceeding $20 billion, making BP one of the largest foreign investors in the country. BP’s business in Egypt is primarily in oil and gas exploration and production.

To date, BP Egypt, in collaboration with the Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO), BP’s joint venture (JV) company with the Egyptian General Petroleum Company (EGPC), has produced almost 40% of Egypt’s entire oil production and currently produces almost 15% of Egypt’s annual oil and condensates production.

In addition, through BP’s second JV with EGPC/EGAS, the Pharonic Petroleum Company (PhPC), and together with our partners, BP currently produces more than 30% of Egypt's total gas production.

BP is working to meet Egypt’s domestic market growth by actively exploring in the Nile Delta and investing to add production from existing discoveries

The West Nile Delta (WND) major project is BP’s first operation in Egypt through a BP operating company. With its partner RWE, WND represents a major new source of gas for the domestic market in Egypt.

BP is a 33% shareholder of United Gas Derivatives Company (UGDC), a natural gas liquids plant extracting LPG and propane, in partnership with ENI/IEOC and GASCO (the Egyptian midstream gas distribution company).

BP is also present in the downstream sector through Natural Gas Vehicles Company (NGVC, BP 40%) which was established in September 1995 as the first company in Africa and the Middle East to commercialize natural gas as an alternative fuel for vehicles.

BP press release