Italy’s Eni and Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) have started production from a new offshore gas project that is expected to increase natural gas supplies for both the domestic market and exports to Europe.

The Sabratha Compression Project, developed through the Mellitah Oil & Gas joint venture, is designed to slow the natural decline of the Bahr Essalam gas field, one of Libya’s largest offshore energy assets.

The project comes as Libya works to strengthen its electricity supply and expand natural gas production while maintaining exports to Italy through the Greenstream pipeline.

For Eni, the latest development also reinforces its long-standing presence in Libya, where the company continues to invest in offshore projects despite a challenging operating environment.

New facilities lift gas production

The Sabratha Compression Project is located about 100 kilometers offshore and includes a newly installed 1,600-ton compression module fitted with advanced compression trains.

The facility has a processing capacity of about 440 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.

The new equipment allows production to continue under lower-pressure conditions, increasing gas recovery from the Bahr Essalam field.

Eni said the project is expected to add about 800 million cubic meters of natural gas each year, along with associated condensate production.

More gas for Libya and Italy

The additional gas is expected to support Libya’s power generation while supplying more fuel for export to Italy through the Greenstream pipeline, one of the country’s main energy export routes.

Eni and NOC said the project’s successful start-up reflects their ability to deliver complex offshore developments on schedule and will help strengthen Libya’s gas infrastructure for years to come.

More projects under development

The partners are also advancing two other offshore developments. Commissioning activities are underway at the Bouri Gas Utilization Project following the installation of the Bouri Gas Recovery Module, while construction continues on the Structures A&E project, which will develop two additional offshore gas fields.

Eni has operated in Libya since 1959 and remains the country’s largest international energy producer.

The company expects equity production of about 162,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025 and is executing three development projects in Libya with a combined investment of about $10 billion.