Eni

Palazzo ENI, Rome, built 1959–1962.[9] Photo by Paolo Monti, 1967

Eni was founded in 1953 from an existing company, Agip, which was created in 1926 with the aim to explore for oilfields, acquire and commercialize oil and derivatives.[10][11] In March 1953, Enrico Mattei was nominated Eni's chairman.[12][13]

Eni was originally an acronym for the company's full title Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (National Hydrocarbons Board).[14] After 1995, the meaning ceased to be relevant but the name was maintained.[15] In 1952, the logo of the then nascent Eni was selected. The logo is a six-legged dog, an imaginary animal symbolizing the sum of a car's four wheels and the two legs of its driver.[16][17]

Starting in 1954, Eni acquired extensive exploration rights in North Africa, signing an agreement with the Egyptian government led by Nasser while providing an active and equal role for the crude producing countries through the establishment of joint ventures.[14][18] In 1957, Eni pushed for a similar agreement, known as the "Mattei formula",[19][20] to be signed with Persian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the National Iranian Oil Company.[21][22][23] In 1960, during the Cold War period, Eni signed an agreement with the Soviet Union for the importation of Russian crude at low prices.[24][25]

On 27 October 1962, Enrico Mattei's airplane mysteriously exploded near Bascapè, on his way to Milan from Catania.[26][27] His death was initially considered an accident, but later it was confirmed to be a murder with the aim to protect and hide important economical and political interests in Italy and especially abroad, as it is clearly stated in the records of the trial on the assassination of the journalist Mauro De Mauro, who was investigating on the death of Enrico Mattei.[28]

During the following years, Eni signed joint venture contracts with foreign companies to supply crude from Egypt to Iran and from Libya to Tunisia.[29] In 1963, Eni acquired a majority stake in Italgas.[30]

In October 1973, after the Yom Kippur War and the OPEC embargo[31][32] against the United States and the Netherlands by OPEC members and Arab countries, a serious oil crisis occurred,[33] causing Eni to consolidate its position in the international market by signing an agreement with Sonatrach,[34] the Algerian state oil entity for natural gas supply.[35]

In 1974, Eni signed an agreement with the Libyan government, followed by additional agreements with Egypt, Nigeria and Tunisia.[36][37][38][39]

During the mid-1970s, Eni planned a major infrastructure for transporting natural gas over long distances, by building a pipeline network of thousands of miles throughout Europe and the Mediterranean.[40][41][42]

After the inauguration of the Trans-Mediterranean Pipeline connecting Algeria to Sicily through Tunisia,[43] Eni signs a new agreement with Libya for the exploitation of Boùri,[44] the biggest oilfield in the centre of the Mediterranean,[45] and develops its international role within the oil industry.[46]

In 1992, Eni became a joint stock company by Law Decree,[47][48][49][50][51] and was listed to the Italian and New York Stock Exchange in 1995.[52][53][54]

From 1995 to 1998, Eni put four share offers fully successfully, as 70% of its capital assets were sold to private shareholders.[55][56][57]

As the price of oil collapsed in 1998 as other major companies Eni got to turn into a race through merges, international acquisitions, new explorations and the foundation of real super-companies.[58][59][60]

Since 2000, Eni has been developing the Kashagan[61] oilfield a major offshore discovery, along the Caspian Sea.[62][63]

In 2005, the Blue Stream pipeline projected to supply gas from southern Russia to Turkey was inaugurated as a joint venture between Eni and Gazprom.[64][65][66]

In 2007, Eni signed an agreement to conduct South Stream a feasibility study with Gazprom to import Russian gas into Europe across the Black Sea.[67][68][69]

Activist asset manager Knight Vinke, who owns 1% of the outstanding shares of the company, begun pressuring Eni's management to operate a spin-off of Eni's gas activities. In its opinion this would solve the undervaluation of the company and release up to 50 billion euros ($70bn) of hidden value.[70]

In 2010, Eni achieves key production milestone in Iraqi Zubair oil field.[71][72][73]

After getting a licence in 2006 for the exploration of an offshore area in the north of Mozambique, known as Area 4,[74][75][76] Eni announced several major natural gas discoveries between 2011 and 2012 such as Mamba South,[77][78][79][80][81][82] Mamba North,[83][84] Mamba North East,[85][86][87][88] Coral 1.[89][90][91][92]

Eni petrol station in Lentiai

In February 2014, ENI discovered oil at its DRC offshore block.[93]

Since 2012, Eni has been selling off refining and marketing assets it owned in eastern Europe to increase profitability. By 2013 Eni already reduced its refining capacity by 13 percent. In May 2014 Eni agreed to sell their 32.5% share in Česká rafinerská a.s. (CRC), a refining company in Czech Republic, to MOL Group of Hungary.[94]

In June 2014, the company signed an agreement with Sasol to acquire a 40% interest in a permit to explore 82,000-km² offshore of South Africa's east coast.[95]

In 2014, Eni launched a new plan to convert its conventional refineries into biorefineries: the first plant was in Porto Marghera,[96] in 2019 the second one opened in Gela.[97]

In January 2015, Eni in collaboration with Vitol Energy signed a $7 billion contract with the government of Ghana. This agreement was reached to produce oil and gas at Cape Three Points in the Western Region of Ghana, in an attempt to enable Ghana to meet its power and energy needs.

In August 2015, Eni announced the discovery of a huge gasfield off the coast of Egypt.[98]

In 2016, Eni launched Progetto Italia,[99] which aims to redeveloping its industrial areas and to create new renewable sources production plants: in 2018 the first photovoltaic plant was inaugurated in Assemini,[100] the second opened in Porto Torres,[101] both in Sardinia.

In July 2017, the oil giant accepted responsibility for an oil spill affecting the Fylde coast of Blackpool in the United Kingdom.[102]

In January 2018, Eni launched its new HPC4 supercomputer, one of the most powerful computing systems which allows a more effective and fast exploration of oil and gas reservoirs.[99] Since February 2020 Eni replaced the HPC4 supercomputer with the new model HPC5, which has three times the computing ability compared to the previous one.[103]

In March 2018, Eni reached an agreement with MIT to fund fusion research projects run out of the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC)’s newly created Laboratory for Innovation in Fusion Technologies (LIFT). The expected investment in these research projects will amount to about $2 million over the following years.[104]

In March 2021, Eni exited the Pakistani market and sold its assets to Prime International Oil & Gas Company.[105][106] The deal include the assets sold, interests in eight development and production leases and four exploration licences.[105][106] Prime International Oil & Gas Company, a newly established joint venture (JV) between Eni Pakistan local employees and Hub Power Company.[105][106]

In 2018 Eni became the first shareholder of the American company Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), a spin-out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston.[107] CFS aims to build a fusion reactor based on tokamak technology, much more compact and cheaper compared to other existing projects such as the international ITER.[108] On September 5, 2021, CFS successfully built and tested a 1: 1 scale prototype of a magnet based on HTS (High Temperature Superconductors) superconductors. The experiment demonstrated for the first time that it is possible to create a fusion chamber where the confinement of the plasma is ensured by this type of super magnets. This kind of fusion chamber will allow the reactor to reach very high temperatures, above 100 million degrees, necessary to make the controlled fusion of deuterium and tritium possible and thus to produce sustainable energy.[109]

On 17 May 2022 Eni announced the procedures for the creation of an account with Gazprombank in dual currency (euro and rubles),[110][111] in order to be able to proceed with the payment of Russian gas supplies, following the unilateral amendment of the contracts ordered by the Russian Federation.[112] The decision was taken in agreement with the Italian government and does not violate the existing sanctions. The European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni and the competent Russian federal authorities have confirmed that payments will continue to be made in euros and that the conversion operations will be carried out by Russian clearing agents without the involvement of the Russian Central Bank.[113][114]

As exploration and reserve replacement being major drivers for the company,[121] Eni boosts for production additions in its core oil field areas (North and Sub-Saharan Africa,[122][123][124] Venezuela,[125][126] Barents Sea,[127][128] Yamal Peninsula,[129][130] Kazakhstan,[131][132] Iraq[133] and the Far East).[134][135] Eni has about 130 exploration and production subsidiaries,[136] such as Eni Norge.[137] In March 2022 Eni stopped buying Russian oil because of International sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War.[138]

In 2012, Eni reported liquids and gas production for the full year of 1,701 thousand barrel of oil equivalent per day (kboe/d), this being calculated assuming a natural gas conversion factor to barrel equivalent, updated to 5,492 cubic feet of gas equal 1 barrel of oil from 1 July 2012.[121][139]

During 2012, 60 new exploratory wells were drilled, as 56 were drilled in 2011 and 47 in 2010. The overall commercial success rate was 40% (40.8% net to Eni) as compared to 42% in 2011 (38.6% net to Eni) and 41% in 2010 (39% net to Eni). In 2012, 351 development wells were drilled as well, as 407 in 2011 and 399 in 2010.[140][141][142]

In 2019 Eni reported hydrocarbon production for the full year of 1,871 kboe/d.[143]

In 2021 Eni reported hydrocarbon production for the full year of 1,68 kboe/d.[1]

In 2012, sales of natural gas were 95.32 bcm, down 1.44 bcm compared to 2011.[144][145][146]

In 2019 Eni reported sales of natural gas worldwide of 73.07 bcm.[143]

In 2021 Eni reported sales of natural gas worldwide of 70.45 bcm.[1]

Eni's power generation sites are located in Ferrera Erbognone, Ravenna, Livorno, Taranto, Mantua, Brindisi, Ferrara and Bolgiano.[147][148] In 2012, Eni's power generation was 25.67 TWh.[149][150] Overall Eni supplies 2,600 customers including large companies, power generation companies, wholesalers and distributors of natural gas for automotive use. Residential users are 7.45 million and include households, professionals, small and medium size enterprises, and public bodies located all over Italy and 2.09 million customers in European Countries. International sales include Iberian Peninsula, Germany, Austria, Benelux, Hungary, UK/Northern Europe, Turkey, France markets.[151][152][153][154][155]

Eni's electricity generation sites in Italy, as of July 2018, are the following:[156]

Natural gas power plants

• Bolgiano – 95 MW
• Brindisi – 1715 MW
• Ferrara – 586 MW
• Ferrera Erbognone – 1785 MW
• Mantua – 1387 MW
• Ravenna – 618 MW

Eni is the leader operator in refining and marketing of petroleum products in Italy.[157][158] Eni is engaged in retail and wholesales activities in Central-Eastern European countries also (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Hungary).[159][160][161][162] Eni's market share in refining and marketing in 2019 was 23.7% in Italy, 12.3% in Austria, 7.7% in Switzerland, 3.2% in Germany and 0.6% in France. Eni also owned a 20% share of Ruwais refinery in Abu Dhabi.[163] Retail sales operations are conducted under the Eni and Agip brands. The re-branding of Eni's service stations in Italy and in the rest of Europe to Eni brand is underway.[157][164][165]

Eni operates in engineering, construction and drilling both offshore and onshore for the oil&gas industry through the subsidiary Saipem.[166]

In April 2012, Eni in collaboration with ZEiTECS announced the world's first offshore rigless/wireline retrievable ESP system for Eni Congo.[167]

The board of directors is comprised as follows as of May 2020:[190]

• Lucia Calvosa, Chairwoman
• Claudio Descalzi, CEO
• Ada Lucia De Cesaris, director
• Filippo Giansante, director
• Pietro Angelo Mario Antonio Guindani, director
• Karina Audrey Litvack, director
• Emanuele Piccinno, director
• Nathalie Tocci, director
• Raphael Louis L. Vermeir, director

• "Gov't signs $7billion oil and gas agreement to produce 1100 megawatts power" (PDF). myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
• "Gov't signs $7billion oil and gas agreement to produce 1100 megawatts power". energymin.gov.gh. Retrieved 3 February 2015.