LUKoil, Eni in Talks on Joint Offshore Projects in Mexico

Russian oil company LUKoil has been in talks with Italy's energy giant Eni on a joint offshore deep-water project in Mexico, LUKoil President Vagit Alekperov said Friday.

ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) — The meeting between Alekperov and Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi took place at the ongoing St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Russia. The forum runs from June 16 through June 18.

"[We] discussed joint projects that can be implemented in Mexico with deep-water [oil] blocks…We discussed joint projects in Egypt. This is an effective project, there is a possibility to develop the gas component," Alekperov told reporters.

The two companies have also discussed the situation around the Karachaganak field in Kazakhstan, where Eni has allegedly offered money to the Kazakhstan government in an effort to settle a profit-sharing dispute, alongside Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron. The companies' consortium has been locked in a battle to prevent the local government from increasing its share of profits.

Eni representatives should visit Kazakhstan in June in order to clear the situation, Alekperov said.

On Friday, Eni signed a cooperation agreement with Russia’s oil giant Rosneft.