The General Petroleum Company (GPC) in Egypt has announced a new oil discovery in Abu Sannan area of the country’s Western Desert. The announcement was made in line with the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources’ plan to increase production and maximize output from its oil fields, especially those that are already well developed and considered “mature.”
The new well, called GPR-1X, is situated in the Abu Sannan fields — a site where oil companies have been exploring and developing resources for many years. The well has already demonstrated strong production. Initial tests show it can produce about 1,400 barrels of crude oil and 1 million cubic feet of natural gas per day from the Bahariya formation. It is also expected to add 2 million barrels of recoverable reserves to the country’s total oil portfolio.
GPC Chairperson Mohamed Abdel Meguid explained that the well is currently undergoing production testing to fully assess its potential. He also explained that promising indicators were identified in the Abu Roash G and B formations, adding to the optimism that there may be additional resources in the area. The signals were captured through electric logging, a process that helps geologists and engineers measure formations and assess their potential to produce oil and gas.
This is the second oil find in Abu Sannan in just 3 months. The first was in March this year and was made possible by the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies that GPC has developed in-house. The company applied this technology to explore previously neglected formations and maximize production from an area previously thought to be past its peak. The two discoveries underscore the ongoing potential of the Western Desert to produce more oil and gas when technology and expertise are applied in a smart way.
This progress comes at a key time for Egypt. The North Africa country has made a strong policy push to increase its own oil and gas production in order to cut back on energy imports and become more energy independent. The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, under its strategy, is focusing on developing new fields and optimizing production from existing ones.
The use of Artificial Intelligence and advanced exploration techniques highlights a growing trend in the oil industry — employing technology to find resources in areas previously dismissed as “mature.” The success at Abu Sannan shows that there are still opportunities for significant finds in fields that many believed were nearly finished.
General Petroleum Company, which is state-owned, plays a key role in developing these resources. It operates many oil fields across Egypt and has a strong track record in using technology to maximize production. The company’s ability to find oil in formations previously thought to be barren underscores the potential for future discoveries in the Western Desert.
This find will add 2 million barrels of recoverable reserves, boosting the country’s ability to produce its own oil and reducing reliance on petroleum products from abroad. The production from GPR-1X, if sustained, will help to increase daily output, adding to total production and strengthening energy security.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has encouraged companies to pursue all viable resources in existing fields and to apply advanced technology to maximize recovery. The GPC’s success at Abu Sannan reflects this policy in action and signals a strong future for oil and gas production in the area.
As the government focuses on developing its resources and securing its energy future, discoveries like GPR-1X show that there is much more potential left in Egypt’s oil fields. The combination of technology and expertise promises a future of sustained production and economic benefits for the country.
