Eni North Africa, the Italian energy company, has resumed its exploration activities in the offshore area northwest of Libya, specifically in Block 16/4, after a hiatus of more than five years. This comeback includes re-entering the exploratory well C1-16/4 (also known as BESS-3), where drilling operations were previously halted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ensco rig (4005) started drilling the C1-16/4 well on March 11, 2020, reaching a depth of 1,012 feet. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the well was secured and temporarily abandoned, leading to the rig’s decommissioning on April 14, 2020.
It’s important to mention that Saipem’s Scarabeo-9 rig is currently re-entering the well to complete drilling operations, aiming to reach the final planned depth of 10,520 feet (3,200 meters).
The exploratory well C1-16/4 is situated in Contract Area D, previously known as MN 41, in the offshore region northwest of Libya. It lies at a water depth of about 743 meters, approximately 95 kms from the Libyan coast and around 15 kms from the Bahr Es Salam gas field.
Source: National Oil Corporation
