Egypt has announced a significant oil discovery in its Western Desert, marking another stride toward its ambition to become a regional energy powerhouse. The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources revealed Sunday that the Abu Sennan field's GPR-1X well could yield up to 1,400 barrels of crude oil and one million cubic feet of gas daily from the Bahariya formation.
This discovery adds two million recoverable barrels to Egypt's reserves, reinforcing the Western Desert's untapped potential. EGPC Chairman Mohamed Abdel Majeed noted ongoing testing and 'optimistic signs' of additional petroleum deposits in nearby geological layers.
Notably, this marks the second major find in three months within the mature basin, both attributed to AI-driven exploration techniques. The ministry emphasized that advanced technology is 'unlocking new possibilities' in aging fields, challenging assumptions about the region's depletion.
The discovery aligns with Egypt's broader strategy to leverage recent energy finds – including the Mediterranean's 30-trillion-cubic-foot Zohr gas field – to position itself as a key oil and LNG trade hub connecting Africa, Europe, and Asia.
