During the year, development activities concerned: production start-up of the Bahr Essalam Phase 2 (Eni’s interest 50%) offshore project; upgrading of gas treatment plants at the Mellitah area and Sabratha platform; and production optimization plan in the Wafa field.

In 2018, Eni finalized an agreement with NOC oil state company and BP to award a 42.5% interest and the operatorship in the BP contractual areas, in particular in the onshore areas A and B and in the offshore area C. The agreement provides for a revamp exploration and development activities in the Country leveraging on Eni’s facilities existing in the areas. In addition, the agreement strengthens the partnership in the social development initiatives through implementation of education and training programs.

The gas activities are performed through the Green Stream pipeline for the import of Libyan gas produced at the Eni operated fields of Bahr Essalam and Wafa . The pipeline is 520-kilometer long with a transport capacity of 8 bcm/y crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Mellitah on the Libyan coast to Gela in Sicily, the point of entry into the Italian natural gas transport system. The capacity of the pipeline amounts to approximately 8 billion cubic meters / year. Natural gas production in Libya in 2018 amounted to 1,180.3 mmcf/d, while the supply of natural gas was 4.55 billion cubic meters.

In 2018, Eni’s production in Libya was 302 kboe/d. In the last months the Country reported a resurgence of socio-political instability coupled with internal clashes. Management is closely monitoring the situation and is evaluating any possible measure to safeguard safety of personnel and security of plants and production infrastructures. For further information on this matter, see Risk factors of the Annual Report 2018.

Bahr Essalam, located about 120 kilometres northwest of Tripoli, contains over 260 billion cubic meters of gas. This is delivered through the Sabratha platform to the Mellitah onshore treatment plant before principally being used to supply the national network. In July 2018 National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Eni announce that Mellitah Oil & Gas, Eni and NOC joint venture company (50/50), has started production from the first well of the offshore Bahr Essalam Phase 2 project.