Italy's ENI Says Discovers Giant Mozambique Gas Field

Italian energy major ENI said on Monday it had uncovered a giant natural gas field off the coast of Mozambique bringing the total estimated reserves in the area to 40 trillion cubic feet (1.1 trillion cubic meters).

ENI said it had made the "giant natural gas discovery" in Area 4 of the offshore Mamba complex, where it is the operator with a 70-percent stake alongside Portugal's Galp Energia, South Korea's KOGAS and Mozambique's ENH.

The field is located 50 kilometers (31 miles) off the coast at a depth of 1,848 meters. ENI is planning to drill four more wells at the site this year.

The estimated reserves would make the field one of the biggest in Africa.

ENI had already announced a major discovery at Mamba in October last year, saying the field held 50 percent more gas than expected.