Italian firm Eni announced on 30 August that the “Faramid South exploration prospect” on the East Obayed concession in Egypt’s Western Desert has flowed at 25mn cfd. “The well reached the target depth of 17,000ft and encountered several gas bearing layers in the Kathabta sandstones of Jurassic age,” Eni says.

The well is 30km northwest of the Meleiha concession, source of the majority of Eni’s 55,000 boe/d Western Desert output. The bulk of this is oil – around 47,000 b/d. But Eni says that after the latest discoveries it “has started studies to develop these significant gas reserves.” (CONTINUED - 149 WORDS)