Dana Gas of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the largest private-sector natural gas company in the Middle East, discovered a new gas well in its concessions in Egypt, local newspaper Khaleej Times reported Tuesday.

    The discovery, the second of its kind this year, was made at the Dabayaa-2 delineation well in Dana Gas' West Manzala Exploration Concession in the Nile Delta, according to the report.

    The company's subsidiary, Centurion Petroleum Corporation, drilled the well to a total depth of approximately 3,000 meters and encountered gas bearing zones in both the Upper and Lower Abu Madi formations.

    The Lower Abu Madi formation was tested and found to flow at a gas rate of over 10 million cubic feet per day, and 240 barrels per day of condensate.

    The gathering pipeline from Dabayaa-2 is under construction now, and the well is expected to be operational before the end ofDecember.

    In August, Dana Gas announced a gas and condensate discovery from the Dabayaa-1 exploration well in its West Manzala Exploration Concession.

    Dana Gas is currently the sixth largest natural gas producer in Egypt that has doubled its total gas reserves in the last five years to over 70 trillion cubic feet.

    The company is expected to drill a total of 12 exploration wells in Egypt before the end of 2007.