Italy-based exploration and production firm Eni has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Iranian Oil Co. (NIOC) to study the offshore Kish natural gas field.
Eni has been given six months to submit a proposal outlining plans to boost recovery from the fields, Gholamreza Manouchehri, NIOC’s deputy managing director in development and engineering affairs, said in a 20 June press statement.
“Eni have done a remarkable job in Cairo and Mediterranean region both as far as the quality and the speed of work are concerned, and it is worthy of trust to be given the two fields of Kish and Darquain for study,” Manouchehri commented.
The MoU is part of Iran’s efforts to boost its oil and gas production following the removal of international sanctions, NIOC said in the release. NIOC has already signed MoUs with Royal Dutch Shell, Gazprom and Alghadir Investment for studying Kish gas field.
The deal also includes and the onshore Darquain oil field.
Eni was previously involved in the development of Iranian oil and gas projects before US-led sanctions barred international oil companies from investing in Iran. These projects included phases four and five of the offshore South Pars field.