Italy’s energy giant, Eni, announced today that it has made two new gas discoveries in Libya totalling more than 1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) – thanks to an exploration campaign initiated in the past months.
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. The acquired data indicate the presence of a high-quality reservoir, with productive capacity confirmed by the well test already carried out on the first well.
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 in Libya
Eni has been present in Libya since 1959 and is the country’s leading international operator, with an equity production of approximately 162,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025 and three development projects currently in execution, two of which will start up in 2026.
