An Italian fossil fuel company that supplies oil to Israel and explores for fossil gas off the coast of Gaza.
Oil produced by Eni is estimated to account for 4% of the total crude oil that Israel imported between October 2023 - July 2024, according to Oil Change International. This makes Eni one of the largest non-state oil suppliers for Israel. Eni produces this oil in Kazakhstan and Italy.
Unlike fossil gas, which Israel produces itself, it completely relies on imports for its oil supply. Imported crude oil is refined in Israel into fuel and goes into the supply chain of local energy companies such as Bazan, Delek, Paz, and Sonol. These four companies are major fuel suppliers of the Israeli military, with Paz having a particularly controversial contract to supply jet fuel to the Israeli air force. The latter three companies are Israel’s largest commercial fuel suppliers, with gas stations across the country, including in Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Eni also explores for offshore fossil gas for Israel, in the territorial waters of Palestine. In October 2023, shortly after the start of the Gaza genocide, Israel approved a joint bid for offshore gas exploration by Eni, Korean state-owned company Dana Petroleum, and Israeli company Ratio Energies. Eni is designated as the operator of the consortium, meaning that it manages the exploration and would operate any future fossil gas extraction projects there.
This exploration license is for an area in the Mediterranean Sea (Zone G) located off the coast of the Gaza Strip. Most (62%) of Zone G falls within the declared territorial waters of the State of Palestine. In February 2024, three leading Palestinian human rights organizations notified Eni that is must “desist from undertaking any activities in areas of Zone G that Palestine claims, as any such activities would constitute a flagrant violation of international law.”
Israel’s Energy Minister took pride in the fact that the licenses were given while Israel is at war, saying that this shows how “major natural gas exploration companies put their trust in Israel's robustness,” even though the companies bid for the licenses months before October 2023. He added that the “companies have committed to unprecedented investment in natural gas exploration over the next three years, which would hopefully result in the discovery of new natural gas reservoirs. That in turn will solidify Israel's energy security, enhance the country's international relations, contribute to reduction in the cost of living, and form a secure backup energy source in order to accelerate the transition to renewable energies.”