Because we hear many opinions and interpretations regarding the movements of ENI following the drillings on the Onasagoras and Amathusa reserves, its wise to also bare in mind, objective data which leads to a strategic explanation.
The Italian company ENI is present in Egypt since 1954. In that country it is the main producer, with 210,000 barrels of oil per day in terms of land reserves.
For some years now, ENI acquired licenses for some marine plots of Egypt as well. Therfore, ENI is already in the Shorouk, and Southwest Meleiha blocks.
This year, with new signatures, it has obtained licenses in the North Leil block, which is adjoined to the Cypriot EEZ and consists of 5,105 km2 and where it functions alone, and in the Karawan block, which is consisting of 4,565 km2, at which it cooperates with BP in a consortium with rates of 50% -50%.
Consequently, when we say that ENI was pressured by Turkey to depart, we have to understand that drillings in block 9 of the Cypriot EEZ took place as planned, and are now preparing for new drillings in the blocks of the Egyptian EEZ.
Simultaneously, they requested an extension of the exploration license in the Cypriot EEZ for two more years, in order to process cypriot geological data, while they are drilling in the Egyptian EEZ. Therefore, we see that the strategic data of ENI, operates independently from the information disseminated due to petty politician and journalistic selections in Cyprus.