Eni and the Congolese state company Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC) will jointly explore the hydrocarbon potential of the Ngolo block, which is part of the Cuvette basin in the Republic of Congo, Eni said in a press release. The block is located approximately 350 km (217 miles) northeast from the capital Brazzaville and covers an area of over 16,000 sq km (6,178 sq miles).

Eni, through its company Eni Congo, will participate as operator in the joint venture with SNPC for the exploration of the block. On July 19 the Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons assigned the Ngolo exploration license to SNPC, according to the press release.

Exploration activities will take place over a period of 10 years and will target the Mesozoic and Paleozoic sedimentary geological sequences. Eni and SNPC will share their operational experience, which both parties have successfully developed onshore and offshore Congo. Exploration activities on Ngolo, which will begin in the next few months, will be carried out using prospecting techniques including remote sensing and geophysical surveys, according to the press release.