Our work in Libya

We have been operating in the country since 1959. We are currently active in the Exploration & Production and Global Gas & LNG Portfolio sectors in the offshore of the city of Tripoli and in the desert area.

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Signed a new agreement, confirming the strategic role of the Country for energy supply

In January 2023, we signed an important deal with the Libyan company National Oil Corporation of Libya (Noc), aimed at increasing the production of natural gas in two offshore fields, and further strengthen the relationship with this Country, which is increasingly strategic on the energy safety front. NOC’s CEO and Eni’s CEO have defined the development of two gas fields, called “Structures A&E”, a strategic project aimed at providing energy to the internal Libyan market, and ensure gas exports to Europe. Moreover, the project includes the construction of a carbon capture and storage (CCS) plant in Mellitah, which will significantly reduce the overall carbon footprint, in line with Eni’s decarbonization strategy.

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A series of investments to increase gas production is under way

In August 2022, the Chief Executive Officer of Eni, Claudio Descalzi met the Chairman of the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) Farhat Omar Bengdara, to discuss Eni’s activities in Libya and strategic projects. Claudio Descalzi confirmed Eni’s commitment to operations in the country with the NOC Chairman, and its willingness to launch a new phase of investments aimed at increasing gas production, by leveraging exploration potential and existing plants, which guarantee access to the domestic and European export markets. The Eni CEO also welcomed the NOC plan to increase the country’s daily production up to 2 million barrels of oil a day, confirming Eni’s support to achieving this target. Discussions also focused on the implementation of renewable related projects in Libya.

Bringing gas to Italy with the Green Stream Natural gas pipeline

The Libyan gas produced by the Wafa and Bahr Essalam fields operated by Mellitah Oil & Gas, an operating company jointly owned by Eni and NOC, is brought to Italy through the Green Stream pipeline. The 520 kilometre natural gas pipeline crosses the Mediterranean Sea connecting the Mellitah treater on the Libyan coast with Gela in Sicily. The natural gas pipeline has a capacity of around 8 billion cubic meters per year.

Exploration and development programme

Developed and undeveloped acreage were 26,636 square kilometers (13,294 square kilometers net to Eni). Production activity is carried out in the Mediterranean Sea near Tripoli and in the Libyan Desert area and includes six contractual onshore and offshore areas. Exploration and production activities in Libya are regulated by Exploration and Production Sharing Agreement contracts (EPSA). In 2021, Eni’s production amounted to 168 kboe a day.

Promoting local development

Our initiatives in the countries where we work are based on an integrated approach that engages local communities and partners to share expertise and funds with them. In line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), our initiatives help improve access to energy, economic diversification, education and vocational training, land protection, access to water, sanitation and health services for communities. In Libya, specifically, our initiatives are geared towards ensuring a constant electricity supply (Sdg 7) by helping manage four power stations, training staff, researching renewable energy solutions and training people on how to run supply facilities safely. We are also working on improving the health sector (Sdg 3), giving direct support to healthcare facilities and training medical staff. In 2021, we completed a series of initiatives in collaboration with the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) and the National Oil Company (NOC), to strengthen the electricity generation and transmission sectors, including the supply of spare parts for the maintenance of the Country’s main power plants, which provide around 3 GW for the needs of around 2 million households, and the supply of almost all the gas needed to power the power plants.