(Ecofin Agency) - ENI, the major Italian oil and gas company is getting ready to invest a further US$4.5 billion in its oil operations in Angola over the next two years, we learn from the Macauhub.com website, citing from the Italian press agency AGI.

Claudio Descalzi, CEO of the group, disclosed the addition of this new investment which will be used for the 15-06 block exploration activities, located on the Angolan offshore, about 350 km North-West of Luanda.

The subject was developed during his meeting with the Angolan head of state Mr José Eduardo dos Santos in Rome, we learn. According to M. Descalzi, the ENI group will increase its production level to 100,000 barrels per day by the end of 2015 and double that during the next three to four years on this site.

In April, production started on the Cinguvu oil field in the West Hub Development project on block 15/06 where ENI is an operator with 35% shares.

Production on the two fields in operation, Sangos and Cinguvu, was about 60,000 barrels a day and should speed up to reach 100,000 barrels/day by the last quarter of 2015.

The ENI group partners on the site are Sonangol Pesquisa e Produção, with 35% shares, SSI Fifteen Ltd with 25% and Falcon Oil Holding Angola SA with 5%.