Eni SPA and BP PLC have been awarded exploration rights to the 1,927-sq-km Block 4 and 1,389-sq-km Block 7 offshore Egypt following the 2015 Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Co. (Egas) bid round.BP will operate Block 4, or North Ras El Esh, where interest is split 50-50 between BP and Eni. Eni will operate Block 7, known as North El Hammad, with 37.5% interest while BP will have 37.5%. Total SA is the third partner for Block 7, holding 25%.
BP also was awarded Block 14, North El Tabya; and Italy’s Edison SPA was awarded Block 12, Northeast Hapy, according to a statement from Egypt’s petroleum ministry. Blocks 4 and 7 will be managed on behalf of Eni by affiliate International Egyptian Oil Co. (IEOC). Both blocks are in the shallow waters of the Mediterranean Sea, facing the Nile Delta and southwest of the Temsah area and west of the Baltim area, where Eni operates existing fields and production facilities (OGJ Online, Apr. 22, 2013).