The Sharjah National Oil Corporation and its Italian partner ENI have announced a successful new discovery of natural gas and condensate onshore at the Mahani field in Sharjah.

The discovery of at Mahani-1 exploration well with flow rates of up to 50 million standard cubic feet per day comes within the first year of the partnership and represents the first onshore discovery of gas in the emirate since the early 1980s.

Mahani-1 well was drilled at a total depth of 14,597 feet, which resulted in the discovery of gas with the associated capacitors in the formation of the Thumama. The size of the discovery will be estimated in time in light of expectations for further evaluation and development.

The Mahani-1 exploration well, located in the Area B Concession, is the first exploration well drilled by SNOC following the acquisition of a new 3D seismic survey covering the territory, the national energy company said in a statement.

SNOC, which is the operator of Area B, and ENI both hold a 50 per cent stake in the discovery as part of a concession agreement that was signed in early 2019. The two companies are also partners in the Concession Areas A and C, also located onshore Sharjah.