KEY POINTS
- Eni denies requesting a 20% increase in Libyan gas supplies to Italy.
- The company says the letter cited in reports was falsified and the named manager is not an Eni employee.
- Fawasel Media withdrew its report, while The Libya Observer corrected its earlier story and apologised.
Italian energy giant Eni has rejected reports that it asked Libya to increase natural gas supplies to Italy by 20%, saying the document used to support the claim was fabricated.
Eni said it did not submit any request to Mellitah Oil & Gas Company or any other Libyan entity seeking an increase in the volume of natural gas exported to Italy.
The company made the clarification after reports circulated claiming that Eni had formally asked for a 20% increase in Libyan gas supplies. According to Eni, the reports were based on a letter that was falsely presented as an official company document.
In a statement sent to The Libya Observer on Monday, Eni said the alleged letter was not authentic and had not been issued by the company.
The energy producer also disputed the identity of the individual named in the document as an Eni manager, stating that the person does not work for the company and holds no position within its organisation.
Company Disputes Gas Export Figures
Eni further said the figures contained in the disputed document concerning the volume of gas exported from Libya were inaccurate.
The company directed attention to a statement previously issued by Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC), saying it provides a more accurate picture of the current gas supply situation between Libya and Italy.
The clarification effectively disavows reports that Eni was seeking additional gas from Libya amid the importance of the North African country’s gas exports to the Italian energy market.
The disputed claim was initially reported by Fawasel Media and subsequently cited by The Libya Observer on August 29. Following Eni’s clarification, Fawasel Media withdrew its report.
The Libya Observer has also acknowledged that its earlier report was inaccurate, corrected the record and apologised for publishing the claim. Libya remains an important source of natural gas for Italy, with gas supplies transported through the GreenStream pipeline linking the two countries.
The gas relationship is particularly significant as Italy continues to rely on North African energy suppliers as part of its broader strategy to secure and diversify its natural gas supplies.
However, the latest clarification from Eni indicates that there is no confirmed request from the Italian company for a 20% increase in Libyan gas supplies.
The development also highlights the sensitivity surrounding Libya’s gas exports, particularly as domestic energy requirements, production levels and export commitments continue to shape the country’s energy sector.
For now, Eni’s position is clear: it did not request an increase in gas supplies from Libya, the letter circulated in support of that claim was fraudulent, and the gas export figures contained in the document were incorrect.
