Discovery of one of the world’s largest gas fields off Egypt’s coast

Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi, third left, and his delegation meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, center, and an Egyptian delegation, in Cairo, Egypt. The Italian energy company Eni SpA announced Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015, it has discovered a “supergiant” natural gas field off Egypt, describing it as the “largest-ever” found in the Mediterranean Sea. Eni said the discovery ? made in its Zohr prospect “in the deep waters of Egypt” ? could hold a potential 30 trillion cubic feet of gas over an area of 100 square kilometers (38.6 square miles). (MEAN via AP)

It’s reported that Italian energy group Eni, the biggest foreign energy firm in Africa, says it has found one of the world’s largest natural gas fields off Egypt’s coast, according to BBC.

The company said the area was 1,450m (4,757 feet) beneath the surface and covered 100 sq km (39 sq miles).

The company says that the Zohr field “could become one of the world’s largest natural-gas finds” and help meet Egypt’s gas needs for decades.

“This historic discovery will be able to transform the energy scenario of Egypt,” said Claudio Descalzi, chief executive of Eni to BBC.

In June, Eni signed an energy exploration deal with Egypt’s oil ministry worth $2bn allowing the company to explore in Sinai, the Gulf of Suez, the Mediterranean and areas in the Nile Delta.

Eni’s find follows other significant gas discoveries in the Mediterranean in recent years, including by Egypt’s neighbor Israel.