Block D-6 is a deepwater block about 130 km west of the Andaman Islands that covers about 13,110 square kilometres.

Eni holds a 40% equity interest in the offshore block, along with Indian government-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) (45%) and India's GAIL Ltd (15%).

Block 8 is in onshore Rajasthan about 500km from Jaipur, in the northwest of India, and covers approximately 1335 sq km. Eni holds a 34% equity interest in this permit, along with ONGC (36%) and British-based Cairn Exploration (30%). ENI will act as operator in both permits.

ENI chief executive Paolo Scaroni said he was very pleased with this outcome, which marked his company's first EP activities in India – “a country with significant potential.

“We also feel honoured to collaborate as operator with three first-class partners and we are well positioned to progress the exploration work programs together.”