(MENAFN) Anglo-Dutch energy major Royal Dutch/Shell said that it had made its first commercial oil discovery in the eastern part of its Northeast Abu Gharadig (NEAG) concession in Egypt's Western Desert, Reuters reported.

The company said in a statement that the Sheiba 18-3 well in the concession had tested up to 1,600 barrels of 36 degree API oil per day and 0.9 million cubic feet (25,480 cu meters) of gas per day.

Shell operates the concession with a 52 percent interest, while U.S. oil and gas firm Apache Corp has 48 percent.

The statement added that a proposed plan for further exploration of this area had been reviewed and supported by state-owned Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC).

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