A wave of offshore gas developments in Egypt, including two-world class schemes led by Italian operator Eni and UK supermajor BP, are heading towards completion, leaving the country to fish for the next giant cache to satisfy its growing domestic appetite.

The nation is beginning to target new exploration activity in the deep waters of the Mediterranean Sea, with fresh licensing on the agenda.

For now the onus is on the completion of the giant Zohr and the West Nile Delta (WND) projects that, when fully on stream next year, will help Egypt achieve self-sufficiency and lead to a halt in liquefied natural gas imports.