Eni project boosts Egypt’s local gas production

Italian energy company Eni has begun startup activities at its Meleiha phase 2 project in Egypt’s Western Desert, increasing the country’s gas-processing capacity.

The project, operated by a joint venture between Eni and Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), will develop a new gas hub within the merged Meleiha concession, the company said in a statement.

In June 2021, Eni signed an agreement with EGPC and Russian energy company Lukoil to merge the Meleiha and Meleiha Deep concessions in the Western Desert.

The startup of phase two will support growth in domestic gas output, as the new facility can process up to 100 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, the statement said.

Meleiha phase 2 includes development wells and a new dedicated gas export pipeline. These facilities will connect new production to Egypt’s existing gas infrastructure, enabling rapid monetisation of resources and improved operational efficiency.

Eni produced 242,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day on an equity basis in 2025.

Cairo launched a seismic survey in December 2025 to explore for oil and gas across sites covering nearly 10 percent of the country’s area.

Egypt plans to have drilled 101 oil and gas wells by the end of this year. This is part of a $5.7 billion investment the government approved in 2025 to drill 480 wells over the next five years.

• UAE’s Fertiglobe explores fertiliser complex in Egypt
• Qatari Diar unveils investment zone at Egypt resort
• Norway’s Scatec starts work on $700m Egyptian wind farm