Production from Egypt's Nooros Field has exceeded one billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas, Egypt's state news agency MENA reported on May 16.

Italian oil major Eni, which began production at the Nile Delta offshore field in September 2015, had said last year it plans to raise production to more than 1 Bcf/d in the first quarter of 2017.

Once an energy exporter, Egypt has turned into a net importer in recent years, squeezed by declining production and increasing consumption.

It is racing to reverse that trend, speeding up the development of major gas discoveries, aiming to achieve energy self-sufficiency by 2020.