Tunis
Italy’s Eni will stop its hydrocarbon activities in Tunisia to focus on clean energy, the Tunisian energy ministry said, amid recurrent social unrest near oil installations in the country.
The giant energy company will give up mining licenses for nine oil concessions it was running jointly with the Tunisian government but will continue to invest in renewable energy in the North African country, a ministry spokesperson said.
Eni declined to comment on the report.
It was not immediately clear when the company, which has been operating in Tunisia since 1961, would halt its oil and gas activities.
According to its website, the Italian firm’s work is concentrated in desert areas in southern Tunisia and in the Mediterranean offshore area of Hammamet.
In 2019, oil production was two million barrels (equivalent to just below 40,000 barrels per day) or about one fifth of Tunisia’s total production of hydrocarbons.—AN
