Eni Reports New Offshore Gas Discoveries in Libya

Italy’s energy group Eni announced on March 16 two gas discoveries offshore Libya, with estimated reserves exceeding one trillion cubic feet. The finds were made in two adjacent structures, Bahr Essalam South 2 (BESS 2) and Bahr Essalam South 3 (BESS 3), through the B2-16/4 and C1-16/4 wells. Both are located about 85 kilometers offshore in waters roughly 650 feet deep, where gas-bearing intervals were identified in the Metlaoui formation, the area’s main producing reservoir.

The discoveries lie 16 kilometers south of the Bahr Essalam field, Libya’s largest offshore gas development, which has been in production since 2005. Their proximity allows for tie-backs to existing offshore infrastructure, with output expected to serve both domestic demand and exports to Italy.

Offshore Activity Picks Up

The new finds follow a renewed phase of offshore drilling by Eni, strengthening its position in Libya’s oil and gas sector alongside companies such as TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips. Present in the country since 1959, Eni remains the largest foreign operator, with net production of about 162,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025. The company is also progressing three development projects, two of which are scheduled to come online in 2026.

In February, Eni secured a new offshore exploration license through a tender issued by the National Oil Corporation (NOC). The block covers nearly 29,000 square kilometers in the offshore extension of the Sirte Basin, one of Libya’s most productive hydrocarbon regions.

Gas Output and Trade Flows

Through its joint venture Mellitah Oil & Gas with the NOC, Eni continues to play a central role in Libya’s gas sector. In 2024, the partners set out plans to increase output to 750 million cubic feet per day by 2026, supporting supply to Europe, particularly Italy via the Greenstream pipeline.

The shift is already visible in trade data. In 2025, Libya became Italy’s largest crude oil supplier, delivering 13.4 million tons nearly a quarter of total imports ahead of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Iraq. Shorter transport routes give Libya a cost and timing advantage.

The Libyan discoveries sit within Eni’s planned activity across Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, the company agreed in January to sell a 10% stake in the Baleine oil and gas field to Azerbaijan’s SOCAR. Eni retains operatorship with a 37.25% share, alongside Vitol (30%) and Petroci (22.75%).