Wintershall Dea, Cheiron Petroleum Corp., and INA Industrija Nafte DD will jointly explore the East Damanhour block onshore Egypt. The Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, H.E. Eng. Tarek El Molla, approved a deed of assignment agreement.
The new exploration partners will contribute financially and with technical expertise, Wintershall said in a Mar. 9 release. Plans are to drill up to seven wells on the concession over the coming years, with the first three planned wells expected to begin this year.
The concession was originally signed between the Egyptian Natural Gas Co. (EGAS), representing the Arabic Republic of Egypt; and Wintershall Dea, as contractor, on Feb. 10, 2020. Egypt-based Cheiron will hold a 40% working interest of the contractor’s share, while the Croatian INA acquires a 20% working interest. Wintershall Dea will remain operator with a working interest of 40% of the contractor’s share.
The block lies west of Wintershall’s Disouq project in the onshore Nile Delta, where the company has produced gas since 2013.
“We know the area well, so we anticipate low geological risks. Furthermore, our existing infrastructure at Disouq means that we are well placed to quickly develop any commercial discoveries,” said Sameh Sabry, senior vice-president and managing director, Wintershall Dea in Egypt.
