US major ExxonMobil this week spud its first ever well offshore Egypt. Nefertari-1 on the North Marakia block in Egypt’s little-explored West Mediterranean region, is being drilled in 1,700ms water depth 50km offshore by the Valaris DS-9 drillship (see map). Exxon (60%op) is partnered here by Qatari state firm QatarEnergy (40%).
The well is targeting an extension of the geology that has made the Western Desert to the south the country’s top oil producing province with 270,000 b/d for 10M 2024 as well as number two for gas (770mn cfd) behind the Mediterranean – from where all 3.6bn cfd output comes from fields well to the east. (CONTINUED - 330 WORDS)
