Eni North Africa and National Oil Corporation (NOC) have discovered more gas on Contract Block D offshore western Libya.
Exploration well J1-4/16 was drilled at a location 95 km, and reached a final depth of 10,458 ft. During flow testing of the Metlawi reservoir, the initial test delivered 14 MMcf/d through a 32/64-inch choke, while the second test flowed 24 MMcf/d through a 62/64-inch choke.
This was the final well of nine contractual obligations for the block, under terms agreed for the concession in June 2008.
The discovery is part of a broader recent uptick in Libyan exploration activity after years of slowdown due to political instability, the COVID-19 pandemic, and security issues.
Contract Area D/Block 16/4 is in the same general northwestern offshore region as the major Bahr Essalam (Bahr es-Salam or “Sea of Peace”) gas field, Libya’s largest offshore gas field (in production since 2005, with phases developed by Eni and partners).
There have been a number of recent related successes in this area. In March 2026, Eni announced two nearby gas discoveries (Bahr Essalam South 2/BESS-2 and BESS-3 via wells B2-16/4 and C1-16/4) estimated to hold >1 Tcf (trillion cubic feet) of gas in place, also in the Metlaoui formation. These are ~16 km south of Bahr Essalam and are expected to add ~130 MMcf/d once tied back to existing infrastructure for rapid development.
Drilling in the area (including re-entry of the C1-16/4/BESS-3 well) resumed in October 2025 after a ~five-plus-year hiatus caused by COVID-19.
The J1-4/16 well appears to be a distinct or additional success in fulfilling the long-standing 2008 commitments, further confirming the play’s potential in this shallow-to-moderate water depth offshore zone.
Eni has operated in Libya since 1959 and is the leading international oil and gas company there, with equity production around 162,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (2025 figures).
Eni was recently awarded additional offshore exploration acreage (e.g., License O1 with QatarEnergy in early 2026) in the Sirte basin extension, reflecting renewed interest after Libya’s first licensing round in nearly two decades.
The Libyan NOC manages partnerships with majors like Eni, Total, Repsol, and others. Recent developments show signs of stabilization and renewed exploration. The exploration well J1-4/16 discovery is one of three announced by NOC in recent days, with Sonatrach in Ghadames basin and Repsol in Murzuq.
The exploration well J1-4/16 discovery is a positive signal for completing old commitments and de-risking the Metlaoui play. Tieback potential to Bahr Essalam infrastructure could allow relatively quick commercialization. Volumes from this specific well have not been made publicly available yet beyond test rates, but it contributes to the area’s growing gas inventory.
About the Author
Jeremy Beckman
Editor, Europe
Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.