Cyprus backs Total-Eni partnership’s offshore gas drilling in new exploration area

The government in Nicosia has licensed a consortium of France’s Total and Italy’s Eni to search for hydrocarbons in another area over which Cyprus has exclusive economic rights, the country’s energy minister said Tuesday.

Georgios Lakkotrypis said the two oil companies will each have 50 percent rights to Block 7, one of 13 areas composing the east Mediterranean island nation’s exclusive economic zone off its south coast, AP reports.

The two companies are now partners in seven blocks. A partnership between ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum and a consortium composed of Texas-based Noble Energy, Israel’s Delek and Dutch Shell, have licenses for a block each.

Starting from late this year or in early 2020, there are plans by all licensed companies to drill up to nine wells.