Petroleum Developments in North Africa

Abstract

At the end of 1978, the total area covered by petroleum rights in the 6 countries presented in this paper was 2,540,000 sq km compared with 2,883,000 sq km at the end of the previous year (-13%). Most of these rights were on land (84.5%), 8.2% were on the shelf, and the remaining 7.3% in deep water. Information on exploration activity is scarce, but seismic activity was apparently at the same level as in 1977. Wildcat drilling activity decreased slightly with 87 wells and 230,600 m drilled compared to 90 wells and 286,000 m in 1977. The exploratory success rate was high (38%) with 33 discoveries, of which 14 were offshore. Exploration was especially successful in Libya (46%) and Egypt (33%), but the highlight of the year was probably the Chevron Unity 1 well which tested oil in the interior basin of Sudan. Another significant discovery was the SNEA Naf 1 wildcat which tested a large amount of gas in the Mediterranean Sea off the Nile delta in Egypt. A possible significant discovery is the A1-NC48 wildcat of Braspetro in the Murzak Paleozoic basin. If confirmed, this discovery would be a highlight. Development drilling decreased (-17%) compared with 1977. Oil production, with an average of 3,802,800 b/d increased 2.3% from 1977 (3,718,000 b/d). Three countries reached high records in oil production: Algeria with 1,277,000 b/d (+7.6%), Egypt with 485,300 b/d (+17%), and Tunisia with 103,000 b/d (+2.3%). Two small fields were put on stream in Egypt: North Yusr (oil) in October and Abu Qir (gas) during the first days of 1979. Utilized gas production in North Africa in 1978 sharply increased from 1,231 MMCFGD in 1977 to 2,117 MMCFGD. The most significant increase took place in Algeria (+70%); this boost in gas output was due to the putting on stream of the Arzew LNG plant which brought total capacity of Algerian LNG plants to about 1,700 MMCFD at year end.