According to Egypt’s petroleum minister Tarek El Molla, a $1.8 billion program to dig natural gas exploration wells in the Mediterranean Sea and Nile Delta has started.
Eni, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, and BP are all partners in the effort. El Molla told WAM on the margins of an OPEC seminar in Vienna that the goal is to drill 35 exploratory wells in two years, 21 in the current 2023–2024 fiscal year and 14 in the following year.
Meanwhile, in another North African country, Tunisia is advancing toward the timely completion of its highly anticipated gas pipeline, poised to enhance the nation’s energy supply. Anticipated to become fully operational by the conclusion of 2024, this transformative project holds great promise.
Taking charge of the pipeline’s construction is Entreprise Tunisienne d’Activites Petrolieres (ETAP), the state-run energy company of Tunisia, in collaboration with esteemed international partners. Designed to establish a vital link between Tunisia and Algeria’s esteemed Hassi R’Mel natural gas field, a prominent hub for natural gas production in North Africa, the pipeline boasts an impressive capacity of 20 million cubic meters per day.
The Minister of Energy, Mining, and Energy Transition, Aziza Chaalal, emphasized the pivotal nature of the project, stating, it is “crucial to end Tunisia’s dependence on imported energy and to meet the growing demand for natural gas in the country.” She further added, “The pipeline will also enable the export of Tunisian gas to market in Europe, contributing to the country’s economic development.”
