Eni has successfully drilled the first exploration well in the North El Hammad license, in the conventional Egyptian waters of the Nile Delta, on the prospect called Bashrush.

Italy’s Eni is the operator of the block with BP and Total as partners.

Eni said on Wednesday that the new discovery is located in 22 meters of water depth, 11 km from the coast and 12 km North-West from the Nooros field and about 1 km west of the Baltim South West field, both already in production.

The well discovered a single 152 meters thick gas column within the Messinian age sandstones of the Abu Madi formation with excellent petrophysical properties. The well will be tested for production.

According to Eni, the discovery of Bashrush demonstrates the significant gas and condensate potential of the Messinian formations in this sector of the Egyptian Offshore shallow waters.

The discovery of Bashrush further extends to the west the gas potential of the Abu Madi formation reservoirs discovered and produced from the so-called “Great Nooros Area”.