LNG

July 6 (LNGJ) - Italian energy company Eni said it would begin exploratory drilling offshore southern Cyprus in 2017. Eni Chief Executive Claudio Descalzi confirmed the decision after a meeting with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, that Eni remained committed to Cyprus and to the East Med in general as an exploration region. Noble Energy of the US and the Delek Group of Israeli have already been successful in Cypriot waters with the Aphrodite discovery amid related plans by Cyprus to build an onshore LNG plant at Vasilikos. Eni last year discovered the huge East Med Zohr natural gas field offshore Egypt with estimated resources of 30 trillion cubic feet.