On March 9, 2026, the Italian-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, chaired by Gianluca Congeddu, awarded Vår Energi, a subsidiary of the Eni Group, the “Brilliant Italy” award, in recognition of the company’s role in the hydrocarbon extraction sector and its contribution to strengthening economic relations between Italy and Norway.
The award was presented by Ambassador Stefano Nicoletti during an event held at the Venti-Venti Italian restaurant in Oslo, located in the iconic Renzo Piano building that houses the Astrup Fearnley Foundation Museum of Contemporary Art. The award was accepted by Dr. Carlo Santopadre, the company’s Chief Financial Officer, in front of a large representation of Italian and Norwegian companies. A networking dinner concluded the evening. With a workforce of 1,400 employees, 42 producing wells, and an extraction rate of approximately 400,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, Vår Energi, a company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and 63% owned by Eni, is now the third-largest player in the Norwegian oil and gas sector, behind Equinor and Aker BP.
The Eni Group’s success in the Norwegian hydrocarbons sector is the result of a highly coherent combination of strategic, operational, and cultural choices, carefully aligned with the local context. Vår Energi is a company with local governance, Norwegian and international management, and strong operational autonomy, which have allowed it to develop strong regulatory compliance and cultivate a relationship with Norwegian authorities based on transparency and a willingness to align with national emissions reduction targets. Thanks in part to the acquisition, two years ago, of the assets belonging to the Norwegian subsidiary of Neptune Energy, Vår Energi is now one of the fastest-growing E&P companies in the world.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, Ambassador Nicoletti emphasized that “The energy sector has historically been one of the main areas of interest for Italian companies in Norway, of which ENI has always been a key player. ENI, through its subsidiary Vår Energi, a major player in offshore hydrocarbon extraction, has fostered the development of a significant supply chain of Italian subcontractors. The excellent health of the Norwegian oil and gas sector therefore continues to offer significant opportunities for our companies, in a context where products and solutions capable of reducing production costs and the environmental impact of extraction will become increasingly important. The “Italia Brillante” award is a fitting recognition for a company that contributes to ensuring Europe’s energy security, in an international context of extreme uncertainty due to the crisis unfolding in the Middle East.”
