UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC: NEW OIL WELL OPENED AT ALAMEIN.

Record ID: 337341

  • Title: UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC: NEW OIL WELL OPENED AT ALAMEIN.
  • Date: 30th August 1968
  • Summary: DR. SEDKY TOURING OIL FIELD; GENERAL SHOTS OF EQUIPMENT. Initials CTRG/VS/CR/PF Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 14th September 1968 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ALAMEIN, UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC
  • Country: Egypt
  • Reuters ID: LVAAQKAZG1ZH0JXZSTLPTRSG18HX
  • Story Text: A NEW OIL WELL IN NOW IN OPERATION IN THE WESTERN DESERT AT ALAMEIN, SCENE OF THE FAMOUS WORLD WAR II BATTLE.

    THE WELL WAS OPENED ON THURSDAY BY DR. AZIZ SEDKY, MINISTER OF INDUSTRY FOR THE UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC.

    ENGINEERS HAD TO CLEAR WORLD WAR II MINEFIELDS BEFORE SINKING THE WELL AT ALAMEIN. IT'S THE FIRST WELL TO BE DRILLED IN THE U.A.R.'S WESTERN DESERT.

    OIL WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN THE AREA IN 1963, AND DRILLING BEGAN IN NOVEMBER, 1965 AFTER AN AGREEMENT HAD BEEN DRAWN UP BETWEEN THE U.A.R. AND THE PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY. THE SCHEME BECAME NAMED JOINTLY THE WESTERN DESERT OPERATING PETROLEUM COMPANY - OR "WEPCO" FOR SHORT.

    OIL DRAWN FROM THE WELL IS PIPED 40 KILOMETRES (28 MILES) OVERLAND TO A MARINE TERMINAL ON THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST AT RAS SHAQIQ.

    A TOTAL OF 24 MILLION AMERICAN DOLLARS WAS SPENT ON ESTABLISHING THE WEPCO OIL RIG. ULTIMATE CAPACITY OF THE WELL IS EVENTUALLY EXPECTED TO EXCEED 180,000 BARRELS A DAY.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register