Eni has successfully restarted exploration activities onshore Tunisia in the Sahara desert, about 700 kms south of Tunisia.The Italian company has now completed operations on the discovery well, Laarich East-1, situated in the Makhrouga-Laarich-Debbech licence, where Eni owns a 50% stake and the Tunisian state company ETAP holds the remaining 50%.

Laarich East-1 reached the final depth of 4,111 meters encountering hydrocarbons in sandstone layers of Silurian and Ordovician age. Production tests showed a delivery capacity of around 2,000 barrels of oil per day, thereby endorsing the potential of the concession pointed out through the latest 3D geophysical survey performed on the permit.

Drilling operation began in June, and the well has already been connected to production.

For now, exploration activities in Tunisia are continuing with the drilling of further prospects, which have been already identified by the 3D Seismic.

This achievement is part of Eni’s near field strategy, implemented to survive the low oil price environment. In the event of a discovery, the strategy makes allowance for the optimization of development costs and competitive time to market for the commencement of production.

Eni has been involved in exploration and production activities in Tunisia since the early 60s, when the giant El Borma oil field was discovered. The company’s production in the country is currently at 11,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, Energy-pedia reports.

Anita Fatunji