(WO) – Eni has discovered more than 1 Tcf of gas in two exploration wells drilled offshore Libya near the producing Bahr Essalam field, the company announced Monday.
Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi
The discoveries were made at the Bahr Essalam South 2 (BESS-2) and Bahr Essalam South 3 (BESS-3) structures, located about 85 km offshore in roughly 650 ft of water and approximately 16 km south of the Bahr Essalam gas field.
The wells—B2-16/4 and C1-16/4—encountered gas-bearing intervals within the Metlaoui Formation, the main producing reservoir in the area. According to Eni, data acquired during drilling and testing confirm the presence of high-quality reservoirs with strong productive potential.
Preliminary estimates indicate the two structures together contain more than 1 Tcf of gas in place.
Because the discoveries are located close to the existing Bahr Essalam offshore infrastructure, Eni said the fields could be rapidly developed through tie-backs to current facilities. The gas would be supplied to Libya’s domestic market and potentially exported to Italy.
Bahr Essalam is Libya’s largest offshore gas field and has been in production since 2005.
Eni has operated in Libya since 1959 and remains the country’s leading international operator. The company reported equity production of about 162,000 boed in 2025 and currently has three development projects underway in the country, two of which are expected to start up in 2026.
