Within the 2,044,851 km² area described in this paper, petroleum rights in force at the end of 1982 in the 6 countries (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia) remained at about the same level (up 1%) as at the end of 1981. A large award in Sudan made up for a decrease in leased areas in other countries.

Both onshore and offshore seismic activity decreased during 1982 in all countries described, except in Sudan, where a significant effort is continuing.

Exploration drilling activity also decreased with 166 wells and 330,500 m drilled, compared with 169 wells and 473,000 m drilled in 1981. The success rate was about 36%, compared with 40% in 1981. No new petroleum provinces were discovered. Offshore exploratory drilling was less successful in 1982 (15 discoveries) than in 1981 (24 discoveries). In Sudan, Chevron continued to find oil with 6 discoveries, the most significant being the Heglig field. In Morocco, the Societe Cherifienne des Petroles resumed exploration after a long period of inactivity.

Development drilling activity remained the same in most countries, except in Tunisia where 13 development wells were drilled in 1982 compared with 3 in 1981.

Oil production in North Africa decreased 1.4% during 1982, with an average of 2,610,500 BOPD compared with 2,648,500 in 1981. A new offshore field (Shell's Tazerka) was put on stream in Tunisia. This field is the deepest producing field in the Mediterranean (250 m [820 ft] water depth).

Utilized natural gas production is estimated to about 2,000 MMCFGD.