The Ministry of Oil and Gas of the Government of National Unity said that the agreement signed between the National Oil Corporation (NOC) and the Italian company Eni violated the legal legislation stipulated in the oil sector's law and the law establishing the NOC.
The Ministry of Oil and Gas added in a statement on Sunday that according to the laws, this agreement required prior approval from the Ministry of Oil and Gas in order to increase the share percentage of the foreign partner and then refer it to the Council of Ministers for a decision.
"The NOC's unilateral decision to amend the agreements opens the way for other partners to say that any amendment can be made to what was previously agreed upon, without going through the procedures and legislation of the Libyan law." The statement reads.
It also called on the Chairman of the NOC to follow the legal mechanisms in this regard, and to send the technical and economic justifications upon which this amendment (for the signing of the agreement) was made to the Ministry of Oil and Gas.
On Saturday, the NOC signed a $8 billion gas deal with the Italian company Eni to develop two gas blocks in the offshore area west of Tripoli. The deal included an amendment to the existing agreement concluded with the company in 2008, changing the agreed shares of production partners and increasing the share of the foreign partner to 37% instead of the current 30%, according to the statement.
