Mellitah Oil and Gas, Hill International collaborate on Libyan gas project

Mellitah Oil and Gas will work with US construction consulting firm Hill International to manage a project which aims to boost Libya's gas output, the country's National Oil Company (NOC) said in a statement on Wednesday.

NOC said a cooperation agreement was signed during a visit by US President Donald Trump's senior adviser for Africa, Massad Boulos, to Tripoli.

Launched by Mellitah Oil and Gas, a joint venture between NOC and Italy's Eni, "Structures AE" is a strategic project that aims to increase local gas production and ensure exports to Europe, according to Eni.

It involves the development of two gas fields located offshore Libya. Combined gas production will start next year and eventually reach 750 million cubic feet (21.2 million cubic metres) per day.

Overall investment for the project is estimated to total $8 billion, Eni said earlier.

Boulos also met Libya's internationally-recognised Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, according to a statement from the prime minister's office.

Dbeibah said his government was committed to building economic partnerships with Washington to open the way for US companies to participate in development and investment projects in Libya.

Dbeibah's team delivered a presentation on Libya's strategic economic partnership projects, which are valued at approximately $70 billion and include investor-ready projects in the energy, minerals and electricity sectors among others.

(Reporting by Ahmed Alumami; Writing by Menna Alaa El-Din; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)