bp Awarded New Exploration Blocks In Egypt's Offshore Nile Delta

Cairo – bp has been awarded two exploration blocks in the Mediterranean Sea, offshore Egypt by the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company. 

The Northwest Abu Qir Offshore Area - in which bp, the operator, holds 82.75% and Wintershall-Dea holds 17.25% - is located west of the recently awarded North King Mariout block (bp 100%) and north of the Raven field. It covers an area of approximately 1038 square kilometres with water depths ranging between 600 metres and 1600 metres.

The Bellatrix-Seti East block - in which bp and Eni, the operator, each hold a 50% share - is located west of the Atoll field and North Tabya blocks. It covers an area of approximately 3440 square kilometres with water depths ranging between 100 metres and 1200 metres.

Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath, bp’s executive vice president for gas & low carbon energy said: “Egypt has long been important for bp with almost 60 years of successful partnership and more than $35 billion invested. We now look forward to an even more successful future, continuing to help meet Egypt’s growing energy needs by providing cost-competitive supplies of gas and supporting Egypt through the energy transition by exploring growth opportunities in hydrogen for example.” 

Karim Alaa, bp’s regional president, Egypt, Algeria, and Libya, added: “We have been awarded four new exploration blocks and a block extension in 2022 which offer the potential for gas discoveries that could be developed using existing infrastructure. Acquiring this acreage is part of our strategy to maintain a longer-term plateau production rate.”  
In addition to the two new blocks, in 2022 bp was also awarded: King Mariout Offshore Area (100% bp), North El Fayrouz offshore area (50% bp and 50% Eni, the operator) and the North El Tabya area extension (100% bp).