Speaking to the media at the World Energy Conference in Rome on Tuesday, Paolo Scarni, the company’s chief executive officer, said he hoped the sanctions could be avoided.
“We hope that the situation in Iraq improves because we are in a good position to grow in that country, ” he said.
“If there are sanctions, we will do whatever is required. We are proceeding with two contracts in Iran that are going forward. Eni’s production in Iran is relative, but we hope that the situation improves.”
Scarni was responding to a statement by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in which he proposed a worldwide ban on companies developing Iran’s oil and gas fields if the country failed to curb its nuclear ambitions and nuclear enrichment.
“Iran constitutes a serious threat to nuclear non-proliferation,” said Brown on Monday night.
The British leader announced a campaign to press the United Nations and the European Union to impose tougher penalties to increase pressure on Iran, above all with respect to investments in the oil and gas sector.
In his first major foreign policy speech, Brown warned Tehran “not to doubt in any way the seriousness of Britain’s intentions”.
Despite attempts by its administration to reduce relations with Iran, Eni is one of the few western companies that still operates in the Islamic republic. International energy giants, Shell andTotal, are getting ready to abandon Iran.
Eni is accessing oilfields in Darkhoin, situated near Ahwaz and in South Pars, an offshore area in the Persian Gulf.
Eni participates in other development projects in Doroud on the island of Kkark, and in Balal, also located offshore. In 2004 Eni’s production of oil and natural gas totalled around 9,000 barrels a day.
Italy’s Eni implemented the Darkhoin project in a joint venture with Iran’s Nikoo oil firm under a buyback deal and the Italian company financed the project. Darkhoin development, begun in July 2005, is expected to be divided into two phases.
The first phase already completed included eight wells and development is expected to be completed in another five years.
Eni is one the most important integrated energy companies in the world operating in the oil and gas, power generation, petrolchemicals, oilfield services construction and engineering industries. In these businesses it has a strong edge and leading international market position.
Eni is active in around 70 countries with more than 70,000 employees.
Iran is one of the world’s major gas and oil producers and countries such as China, Japan and to some degree Italy depend on Iran’s oil and gas exports.
Today 55,000 barrels a day are being produced from Eni’s wells and will rise to 160,000 at the end of the second phase of development.
Investment in the project will reach 548 million dollars at the end of the second phase. In the case of South Pars, two production platforms have been installed and 24 wells completed high seas.
