Eni has made a significant gas discovery offshore Libya, estimating over 1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas in-place from a recent exploration campaign. The discovery was made by drilling two successful wells, BESS-2 and BESS-3, on the Bahr Essalam South (BESS) prospect.

Discovery Details

The wells are located 85 kilometres off the Libyan coast in about 650 feet of water, approximately 16 kilometres south of the existing Bahr Essalam field. Both wells encountered gas in the proven Metlaoui formation. Initial data indicates the presence of a high-quality reservoir, with its productive capacity confirmed by a test on the first well. Preliminary estimates point to a resource exceeding 1 Tcf of gas in-place.

Development and Market

The discovered gas can be developed rapidly via the existing Bahr Essalam complex infrastructure. The gas is intended to supply the Libyan domestic market and will also be exported to Italy.

Eni's Position in Libya

Libya is a core country for Eni, with an equity production of about 162,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day projected for 2025. The company currently has three development projects underway in the country, two of which are scheduled to start up in 2026.