Italian energy giant Eni announced Tuesday that its cheif executive officer, Claudio Descalzi, met with the chairman of the Libyan National Oil Corporation, Mustafa Sanalla, in Rome.
Eni stated that the meeting focused on the general outlook of Libya's oil sector development, the general situation in the country and the stabilization process in the country.
"Libya’s National Oil Corporation made a huge effort to maintain the country’s unity. It succeeded in supporting and developing the energy sector in Libya in a very difficult period," Descalzi said in a statement.
Sanalla said "National Oil Corporation has worked very hard to protect the mineral resources of the state for the benefits of all the Libyan people, despite the instability."
Libya's oil production level declined dramatically after the civil war in 2011 and the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi. Since then, the country is dealing with divisions, and violence that threatens the stability of oil production and the security of its oil fields.
Although Libya's oil production averaged around 1.6 million barrels per day before 2011, this level declined to as low as 373,000 barrels a day on September this year, according to OPEC's monthly oil market report released on December.
According to Eni, the company currently produces over 300,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the country.
"Eni has been present in Libya since 1959...and is the largest foreign producer of hydrocarbons in all regions of Libya," the company noted.
By Ovunc Kutlu
Anadolu Agency
ovunc.kutlu@aa.com.tr