Libya’s state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) has announced that the North African arm of Eni, an Italy-based energy company, has restarted exploration work in the north-west offshore area of Libya.
This move, particularly focusing on offshore Block 16/4, signals a resumption of exploration activity after more than five years.
According to the NOC, this comeback entails re-entering the exploratory well /4, also referred to as BESS-3.
Drilling at that location began on 11 March 2020 and was carried out by the Ensco rig (4005).
The well was drilled to a depth of 1,012ft before operations were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Decommissioning of the rig took place on 14 April 2020.
The Scarabeo-9 rig operated by oilfield services multinational Saipem is now re-entering the well with the aim of completing drilling to the final planned total depth of 10,520ft.
The exploratory well lies in Contract Area D, formerly called as MN 41, roughly 95km off the coast of Libya, at a water depth of around 743m.
It is around 15km from the Bahr Es Salam gas field.
Last year, in October, Eni and British oil and gas multinational bp restarted exploration work in the country with drilling work in the Ghadames Basin.
This restart came after a ten-year hiatus, with onshore drilling halted in 2014 because of political instability and conflict following the overthrow of the country’s late ruler, Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011.
In July 2025, Mellitah Oil and Gas, a joint venture between NOC and Eni, entered into a contract with US-based Hill International to oversee the Structures A&E project.
This project is expected to boost local gas production and support exports to Europe with the development of two fields in Contract Area D.
