BP Egypt, on behalf of its joint venture partners in the Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO), announced today that oil production from the Saqqara field has started

The Saqqara field is located 12.5 kilometres offshore in the central Gulf of Suez. First oil was achieved on 15th May and following commissioning, the field has now ramped up to more than 30,000 barrels a day. Gas production is expected shortly.

Andy Inglis, BP’s Chief Executive of Exploration & Production, said: “Saqqara is another major project delivered successfully. It will contribute to BP’s production profile for the next decade and beyond. Egypt is an important growth area with further potential.”

Hesham Mekawi, President of BP Egypt added: “Saqqara is a technically complex development and its successful delivery represents a new milestone in maximising recovery of oil and gas from the Gulf of Suez. First oil was achieved through hard work and dedication of the Project, Contractor and Operations teams that worked on Saqqara over the last 4 years.”

The Saqqara project is an offshore development with a jacket and unmanned topsides, four wells, and a 13 kilometre pipeline to new dedicated onshore separation and gas processing plant at Ras Shukeir, Gulf of Suez.