By Stephanie Daniels
Energy Window International (Media) – Eni says it has finally made two new gas discoveries in Libya following an exploration campaign initiated in the past months.
In its email statement Eni said that two adjacent geological structures – Bahr Essalam South 2 (BESS 2) and Bahr Essalam South 3 (BESS 3), were successfully drilled by the B2-16/4 and C1-16/4 wells, located approximately 85 km off the coast in about 650 feet of water, and 16 km south of the Bahr Essalam gas field.
“Gas-bearing intervals were encountered in both wells within the Metlaoui Formation – the main productive reservoir of the area. Meanwhile the data we acquired had indicated the presence of a high quality reservoir, with productive capacity confirmed by the well test already carried out on the first well.”
The statement added: “Preliminary volumetric estimates indicate that the BESS 2 and BESS 3 structures jointly contain more than 1 Tcf of gas in place. Their proximity to the Bahr Essalam field – the largest offshore field in the country, in operation since 2005 – will enable rapid development through tie-back to existing offshore facilities. The gas produced will be supplied to the Libyan domestic market and for export to Italy.
Eni confirms it has been present in Libya since 1959 as one of the country’s leading international operators, with an equity production of approximately 162,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025.