Egyptian gas’s second coming
Zohr is speeding ahead quickly. Does it herald a new era for the region’s energy?
Eastern Mediterranean gas prospects continue to fluctuate. The Egyptian successes of the 1990s were followed by decline. Then came the big Israeli discoveries, starting with Tamar, in 2009. Now it's Egypt's turn again. Last summer's discovery of the supergiant Zohr gasfield-a 30-trillion-cubic-foot reserve lying 4,700 feet beneath the surface in a previously undiscovered carbonate layer-suggests another spurt of upstream success could be on the way, reshaping the ever-changing energy sector in the region. Things are moving quickly. It was only in August last year that Italy's Eni announced the discovery. By the end of 2017 it should be producing 1bn cubic feet a day of gas from six wells, ri
Also in this section
19 January 2026
Newfound optimism is emerging that a dormant exploration frontier could become a strategic energy play and—whisper it quietly—Europe’s next offshore opportunity
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026






