Exploration and Development

In 2009, capital expenditures amounted to €9,486 million to enhance assets in well established areas of Africa, the Gulf of Mexico and Central Asia. Exploration activities (€1,228 million) achieved a number of successes such as the large Perla gas discovery in the Venezuelan offshore and the Cabaça Norte oil discovery in the Angolan offshore basin. Further discoveries were made in Ghana, the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Indonesian offshore.

A total of 69 new exploratory wells were drilled (37.6 of which represented Eni’s share), in addition to 10 exploratory wells in progress at year end (4.2 net to Eni). The overall commercial success rate was 41.9% (43.6% net to Eni).