Great Nooros Area

Location

The Great Nooros Area is situated in the shallow waters of the Nile Delta, approximately 120 kilometers north-east of Alexandria, Egypt. The area includes both offshore and onshore operations.

Fields and Discoveries

• Nooros Field: Discovered in July 2015, this field is part of the Abu Madi West development license. It is operated by Petrobel, a joint venture between Eni's subsidiary IEOC (50%) and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (50%). Eni holds a 75% interest in the license, while BP holds the remaining 25%.
• Baltim South West Field: Located about 10 kilometers north of the Nooros field, this field was discovered in June 2016 and started production in September 2019. Eni and BP each hold a 50% interest in this field.

Geology and Reserves

• The Nooros field is characterized by a 60-meter-thick gas-bearing sandstone reservoir of the Messinian age, with additional gas layers in the overlying Pliocene section. The field is estimated to contain about 2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas in place.
• The Baltim South West field also contains significant gas reserves, contributing to the overall potential of the Great Nooros Area, which is estimated to be around 3 Tcf of gas in place. Recent discoveries have increased this estimate to potentially exceed 4 Tcf.

Production and Infrastructure

• Nooros Field: Production began in September 2015, just two months after the field's discovery, leveraging existing infrastructure. The field achieved a production rate of 128,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) by September 2016 and was further developed to reach a maximum production capacity of 160,000 boed by 2017. The produced gas and condensates are processed at the Abu Madi treatment facility and fed into the Egyptian gas network.
• Baltim South West Field: Production started in September 2019 with an initial rate of 100 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) and is expected to reach a target of 500 MMcf/d by the second quarter of 2020. The field is connected to the existing onshore Abu Madi Gas Plant through a 44-kilometer pipeline.

Development and Exploration

• The development of the Nooros field was rapid, with first production achieved within 13 months of discovery, thanks to the use of existing infrastructure. The field currently has seven production wells, and Eni plans to drill additional wells to maintain and increase production.
• Continuous exploration in the Great Nooros Area has led to new discoveries, such as the one made through the Nidoco NW-1 exploratory well in 2020, which discovered gas-bearing sands with good petrophysical properties. This discovery further extended the gas potential to the north of the Nooros field.

Impact on Egypt's Energy Sector

• The production from the Nooros and Baltim South West fields has significantly contributed to Egypt's energy security, reducing dependence on gas imports and enabling the country to resume regular LNG exports. The fields play a crucial role in supplying clean, low-cost energy for Egypt's development and contribute to the country's gas export capacity.

Operators and Partners

• The operations in the Great Nooros Area are managed by Petrobel, a joint venture between Eni's subsidiary IEOC (50%) and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (50%). Eni holds a 75% interest in the Abu Madi West development license, while BP holds the remaining 25%.

In summary, the Great Nooros Area is a vital gas production region in Egypt, characterized by rapid development, significant reserves, and a crucial role in Egypt's energy landscape.