CAIRO, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Egypt has brought four new natural gas wells online in the Mediterranean Sea and the Western Desert as part of efforts to boost domestic energy output and curb its growing reliance on imports.
The wells, located in the offshore West Burullus field in the Mediterranean and the Khalda fields in the Western Desert, are expected to produce a combined 120 million cubic feet of gas per day, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said on Friday.
The additions come as Egypt grapples with soaring energy costs stemming from the regional conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. Israeli natural gas, which typically accounts for nearly 20 percent of Egypt's total consumption, has been cut off since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28.
The government has been seeking to increase oil and gas output after a decline in natural gas production in recent years. In August 2025, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said Egypt's current production stands at 4.1 billion cubic feet per day, with plans to reach 6.6 billion cubic feet per day by 2027.
The ministry said Egypt plans to drill more than 100 exploratory wells in 2026 to secure new energy reserves. ■
