Egypt’s petroleum ministry announced on Friday that the country has increased its natural gas production after bringing two new wells in the West Delta region online.
The Sapphire South Central DP well, part of Phase 11 of the West Delta Deep Marine project led by Shell, is contributing about 50 million cubic feet per day (mcfd). In addition, the Scarab D4 well, which had been inactive for years, has been restored and is adding another 10 mcfd.
Together, the two wells are expected to raise Egypt’s daily output by roughly 60 mcfd, a modest but welcome boost as the country struggles with falling production.
Egypt has faced a steady decline in gas output in recent years. Data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI) shows that in May 2025, the country produced about 3,545 million cubic meters, a drop of more than 40% compared to March 2021. Output at the giant Zohr field, once Egypt’s flagship gas source, has also slipped, falling to 1.9 billion cubic feet per day by early 2024, well below its 2019 peak.
To address the shortfall, Cairo is working on several fronts: reviving existing wells, increasing drilling at Zohr, and securing more imports. Earlier this year, Egypt signed a record $35 billion deal to import additional gas from Israel’s Leviathan field, while also holding talks with foreign companies over long-term LNG supply agreements.
Officials say these efforts—together with the new West Delta wells—are part of a broader strategy to stabilize domestic supplies, reduce shortages, and strengthen the country’s role in the regional energy market.
