Agiba Petroleum discovers new oil field in Egypt’s Western Desert

CAIRO – 30 June 2025: Egypt’s Agiba Petroleum Company, a joint venture between the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) and Italy’s Eni, has announced the discovery of a new oil field, Arcadia West, in the Western Desert. 

 

The field has been immediately brought online, underscoring the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources’ strategy to boost domestic oil and gas production.

 

Drilling operations at the Arcadia-28 well led to the discovery of a high-quality reservoir with an initial production rate of 2,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d). 

 

The discovery highlights the hydrocarbon potential of the region and follows the recent success of the nearby Iris field, which continues to produce 7,500 boe/d.

 

Thanks to Agiba’s swift development strategy and its use of cutting-edge geological data in coordination with its partners, the new field was rapidly connected to existing infrastructure, minimizing development time and cost.

 

From a geological standpoint, the discovery is significant. It unveils a new hydrocarbon-bearing zone within the Masajid Formation, previously believed to be a non-reservoir layer. The successful output demonstrates the formation’s potential under the right geological conditions.

 

The Arcadia West find also supports Agiba’s broader strategy of exploring near-field opportunities, leveraging existing production zones to quickly monetize new resources. 

 

The company plans to expand its drilling activities in the area based on this promising model, especially as the Masajid Formation may yield similar discoveries across Agiba’s Western Desert concession areas.

 

The discovery was supported by advanced 3D seismic surveys, validating the integration of geoscience innovation and field operations expertise. Agiba said further drilling campaigns are planned in Arcadia West to unlock additional reserves and explore analogous prospects.

 

This latest success comes in line with the ministry’s strategic pillar to reduce Egypt’s reliance on oil imports and support energy security by ramping up domestic hydrocarbon output.