The Zohr gas field will continue to see production ramped up over 2018 before hitting its maximum output in 2019, according to Eni’s chief exploration officer Luca Bertelli.

“Zohr will reach its full potential next year,” he said.

Zohr was discovered by Eni in 2015 and was brought online less than less than two and a half years after discovery, a feat that many analysts said would be impossible to do.

The Italian company announced that it had started producing gas from Zohr on 20 December.

The discovery of Zohr has transformed Egypt’s energy sector and sparked a boom in energy project activity.

Zohr has potential gas reserves of 850 billion cubic metres and is located 180km (110 miles) from Port Said.

A total of 20 wells are expected to be drilled by the end of 2019.