Eni chief executive says plan for pipeline to move gas to Cyprus 'part of our discussion'

The chief executive of the Eni energy company says Cyprus-Israeli plans for a pipeline to move offshore natural gas from those two countries to Cyprus are “part of our discussion” with the Cypriot government. The gas would be processed for electricity generation and possible export. Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi said after talks with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday that any plan to develop gas deposits discovered off Cyprus’ southern coast “must have economic value.” Descalzi said talks focused primarily on Eni’s plans to drill by the end of the year an additional well in one of seven areas inside Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone where the Italian company and partner Total of France hold licenses for hydrocarbon exploration.