Italian energy company Eni North Africa has resumed exploration activities in Block 4/16, located off northwestern Libya, after a suspension prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) confirmed the restart of operations in the offshore block, ending more than five years of inactivity due to the pandemic and the country’s fragile security environment.
According to the NOC, work resumed earlier this season to complete drilling of the J1–16/4 exploration well, also known as BESS-3. Operations were halted in April 2020, after the Ensco 4005 drilling platform reached a depth of 1,012 feet. The rapid spread of COVID-19 at the time forced Eni to secure the well and release the rig in line with safety protocols.
The J1–16/4 well lies within Contract Area D (formerly MN 41), approximately 95 kilometers off the Libyan coast, at a water depth of about 743 meters. It is located roughly 15 kilometers from the Bahr Essalam gas field, one of Libya’s largest offshore gas deposits operated jointly by Eni and the NOC.
The resumption of drilling in this area marks a significant milestone in efforts to revive Libya’s energy sector, which has been hampered in recent years by work stoppages and political instability. For Eni, one of the NOC’s oldest international partners, the move signals renewed confidence in Libya’s authorities and in the country’s energy potential.
MK/ac/lb/as/APA