Egypt is getting closer to adding shale gas to its energy mix with the news that Shell and Apache Corp. will start production from the Apollonia field in the Western Desert early next year, with a second coming onstream in H2 2016.
Apache’s JV in Egypt, the Khalda Petroleum Co., is carrying out operations for both companies.
Khalda Petroleum will start drilling two experimental wells in the Apollonia field. Core samples and logging will be taken to study and evaluate the field, said Tarek El Molla, Chairman of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corp. (EGPC), in an interview with Daily News Egypt.
Drilling operations are expected to start on the first well by the end of May, with the second well to start upon completion of the first if the study of core samples and well logs indicate positive results. The two companies will start drilling the horizontal wells in November, according to El Molla.
The deal for the two firms to take on shale gas exploration was signed with EGPC in December.
