Eni has won two onshore oil blocks in Oman, in the latest of the Italian energy major’s string of successes in the region in recent days.

Eni and state-owned Oman Oil Company Exploration & Production (OOCEP) have entered into an exploration and production-sharing agreement (EPSA) for Block 47 with the Omani government, it said in a statement on 14 January.

Block 47 is located onshore in the Omani A’Dakhiliyah governorate and covers an area of about 8,524 square kilometres.

Eni and OOCEP won the bid as part of the 2017 licensing round in the sultanate.

Eni will be the operator of the block with a 90 per cent stake, while OOCEP will hold the remaining stake.

Exploration operations are expected to start this year.

Eni has also signed an agreement with Oman’s Oil & Gas Ministry and the UK’s BP to set up the principles for the acquisition of the exploration and production rights of the onshore Block 77.

Block 77 is located 30km east of the Khazzan gas field, operated by BP.

As per the agreement, Eni and BP will each hold a 50 per cent stake in the block, with Eni acting as an operator during the exploration phase.

"The signature of Block 47 EPSA and Block 77 HoA [heads of agreement] represents a further step in Eni’s strategy to reinforce its presence in the sultanate of Oman and strengthen the collaboration with OOCEP, which is also Eni’s partner in Block 52," the company said in a statement.