Libya’s state National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced today that Italy’s Eni and Britain’s British Petroleum (BP) have resumed exploration activity in Libya after onshore drilling operations have been halted since 2014. It added that Spain’s Repsol is also preparing to resume drilling operations in the Murzuq Basin, while Austria’s OMV will begin operations in the Sirte Basin in the coming weeks.
ENI
The NOC said Eni began its exploration activity today in Area B (96/3) in the Ghadames Basin, where the first exploratory well A1-96/3 (Wildfire Hope) was drilled.
It noted that the well A1-96/3 is the first contractual obligation in Area B in the Ghadames Basin, in accordance with the Type IV Contracting Agreement of 2007. Eni operates the area in partnership with BP and the Libyan Investment Company.
Mellitah Oil & Gas oversees the drilling and execution of all activities related to this well, thanks to its extensive experience in the region following the commissioning and development of its Al Wafa field.
The NOC said that a range of promising geological formations will be tested at well A1–96/3, which is expected to contain oil and gas. The final well is expected to be about 10,327 feet (3,147 meters) deep.
The well A1-96/3 is about 35 kilometres from the Wafa field, and about 650 kilometres from the capital, Tripoli.
