Four Italian Workers Kidnapped near Mellitah Oil, Gas Compound in Libya

Four Italian construction workers have been kidnapped in the vicinity of Eni’s Mellitah Oil and Gas Compound, the Italian foreign ministry (Farnesina) reported Monday.

The four men are employees of Bonatti – a firm that provides engineering and construction services to the oil and gas and power industries.

The Farnesina said that its Crisis Unit is monitoring the case and remains in constant contact with the families of the four Italian nationals and Bonatti. In its statement, the Farnesina restated that it had urged all Italian nationals to leave Libya Feb. 15.

The Mellitah Oil & Gas complex is jointly run by Italy’s Eni and the Libyan national oil company. Located some 60 miles west of Tripoli, it includes one of the largest gas treatment plants in the world and handles oil and gas from the Wafa Desert field and the Sabratha offshore platform.