America
Ecuador
Eni has been present in Ecuador since 1988. In 2013, Eni’s production amounted to 13 kbbl/d. Operations are performed in Block 10 (Eni’s interest 100%) located in the Amazon forest over a developed acreage of 1,985 square kilometers net to Eni.
Exploration and production activities in Ecuador are regulated by a service contract, due to expire in 2023.
Production Production deriving solely from the Villano field, started in 1999, is processed by means of a Central Production Facility and transported via a pipeline network to the storage facility located in the Pacific coast.
Development Workover activities are being performed in order to maintain the current production plateau of the area; other development activities concerned the development of the residual mineral potential. Upgrading of logistics facilities and plants were completed.
Exploration The activities aimed at the start-up in 2014 of the new exploration program were concluded.
Trinidad & Tobago
Eni has been present in Trinidad and Tobago since 1970. In 2013, Eni’s production amounted to approximately 59 mmcf/d (11 kboe/d). Activity is concentrated offshore North of Trinidad over a developed acreage of 382 square kilometers (66 square kilometers net to Eni).
Exploration and production activities in Trinidad and Tobago are regulated by PSAs.
Production Production is provided by the Chaconia, Ixora, Hibiscus, Ponsettia, Bougainvillea and Heliconia gas fields in the North Coast Marine Area 1 Block (Eni’s interest 17.3%). Production is supported by two fixed platforms linked to the Hibiscus processing facility. Natural gas is used to feed trains 2, 3 and 4 of the Atlantic LNG liquefaction plant on Trinidad’s coast and sold under long-term contracts. LNG production is mainly sold in the United States. Additional cargoes are sent to alternative destinations on a spot basis.
United States
Eni has been present in the USA since 1968. Activities are performed in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska and more recently onshore in Texas.
Developed and undeveloped acreage covers 6,729 square kilometers (3,843 square kilometers net to Eni). In 2013, Eni’s oil and gas production amounted to 82 kboe/d.
Exploration and production activities in the USA are regulated by concessions.
Gulf of Mexico
Eni holds interests in 228 exploration and production blocks in the conventional and deep offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, 139 of which are operated by Eni.
Production The main fields operated by Eni are Allegheny, Appaloosa and Morpeth (Eni’s interest 100%), Longhorn-Leo, Devils Towers and Triton (Eni’s interest 75%) as well as Pegasus (Eni’s interest 58%). Eni also holds interests in the Medusa (Eni’s interest 25%), Europa (Eni’s interest 32%) and Thunder Hawk (Eni’s interest 25%) non-operated fields.
Development Phase 1 of the development plan was sanctioned at the Heidelberg field (Eni’s interest 12.5%) in the deep offshore of the Gulf of Mexico. The project provides for the drilling of 5 producing wells and the installation of a producing platform. Start-up is expected at the end of 2016 with a production of approximately 9 kboe/d net to Eni.
Development activities in the Gulf of Mexico mainly concerned: (i) drilling and completion activities at the Hadrian South (Eni’s interest 30%), Lucius/Hadrian North (Eni’s interest 5.4%) and St. Malo (Eni’s interest 1.25%) fields; (ii) infilling activities at the producing Appaloosa, Longhorn, Pegasus and Front Runner (Eni’s interest 37,5%) fields; and (iii) maintenance of the pipeline linking to the Corral production platform.
Exploration In March 2013, Eni was the highest bidder in five offshore exploration blocks located in the Mississippi Canyon and Desoto Canyon areas within the Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 227. Relevant authorities approved the bid of one of five blocks.
Texas
Production Production comes from the Alliance area (Eni’s interest 27.5%), in the Fort Worth basin. This asset was acquired following an agreement with Quicksilver for unconventional gas reserves (shale gas). In 2013, Eni’s production amounted to 8 kboe/d.
Development In November 2013, Eni signed an agreement with the American company Quicksilver, for explorating and developing an area with unconventional oil reservoirs (shale oil), onshore the United States. Eni is expected to acquire a 50% interest in the Leon Valley area (West Texas). The work plan provides for the drilling of up to five exploration wells and prospection studies aiming at determining the hydrocarbon potential of the area and the subsequent development plan. Eni will invest up to $52 million, for the completion of the project’s exploration activities. The agreement also establishes that Eni will obtain 50% of another area located in the Leon Valley, without additional costs.
Alaska
Eni holds interests in 102 exploration and development blocks with interests ranging from 10% to 100%, for 49 of these blocks Eni is the operator.
Production The main fields are Nikaitchuq (Eni operator with a 100% interest) and Oooguruk (Eni’s interest 30%) whit an overall production of 12 kbbl/d net to Eni in 2013.
Development Drilling activities progressed at the Nikaitchuq and Oooguruk fields.
Venezuela
Eni has been present in Venezuela since 1998. In 2013, Eni’s production amounted to 10 kbbl/d. Activity is concentrated in the Gulf of Venezuela, in the Gulf of Paria and onshore in the Orinoco Oil Belt, over a developed and undeveloped acreage of 2,804 square kilometers (1,066 square kilometers net to Eni).
Exploration and production of oil fields are regulated by the terms of the so-called “Empresa Mixta”. Under its legal framework, only a company incorporated under the law of Venezuela is entitled to conduct petroleum operations. A stake of at least 60% in the capital of such company is held by an affiliate of the Venezuela state oil company, PDVSA, preferably Corporación Venezuelana de Petróleo (CVP).
In the medium term, management expects to increase Eni’s production through ongoing development activities, confirming Venezuela to be one of Eni’s largest producing Countries.
Production In March 2013, production (accelerated early production) started-up at the Junin 5 field (Eni’s interest 40%), located in the Orinoco oil belt and containing 35 bbbl of certified heavy oil in place. Early production of the first phase is expected to reach a plateau of 75 kbbl/d by the end of 2015, targeting a long-term production plateau of 240 kbbl/d. The project provides for the construction of a refinery with a capacity of approximately 350 kbbl/d. Eni agreed to finance part of PDVSA’s development costs for the early production phase and engineering activity of refinery plant up to $1.74 billion. Drilling activities and installation of the transport and treatment facilities are ongoing.
In 2013, the production of Corocoro field (Eni’s interest 26%) amounted to 37 kbbl/d.
Development The sanctioned development plan progressed at the Perla gas discovery, located in the Cardon IV Block (Eni’s interest 50%), in the Gulf of Venezuela. PDVSA exercised its 35% back-in right. Eni will retain the 32.5% joint controlled interest in the company, at the execution of the transfer stake. The early production phase includes the utilization of the existing discovery/appraisal wells and the installation of production platforms linked by pipelines to the onshore treatment plant. Target production of approximately 450 mmcf/d is expected in 2015. The development program will continue with the drilling of additional wells and the upgrading of treatment facilities to reach a production plateau of approximately 1,200 mmcf/d.
Exploration Eni is also participating with a 19.5% interest in the Gulfo de Paria Centrale offshore oil exploration block, where the Punta Sur oil discovery is located and with a 40% interest in Punta Pescador and Gulfo de Paria Ovest.
During the year, the schedule and program of exploration campaign for the assessment of mineral potential of gas permits Punta Pescador and Gulfo de Paria Ovest were defined.
