ROME, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Italian energy company ENI is rushing to be first in line to play a major role in a post-Gadhafi Libya, a person close to the energy group said.
Libyan rebels on Tuesday seized a compound in Tripoli belonging to Moammar Gadhafi, prompting NATO officials to say his regime was "history."
The International Energy Agency in July called on its member states to release oil from their strategic reserves because the Libyan conflict was causing disruptions to the energy market.
ENI has been in contact with Libyan rebels through much of the war to make sure it remains relevant once hostilities end, Bloomberg News reports.
ENI generated 13 percent of its revenue from Libya, followed closely by French supermajor Total.
France was the first government to recognize the rebel-backed Transitional National Council as the legitimate leadership in Libya and TNC leader Mahmoud Jebril is expected in Paris before he heads to Rome to meet with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the news agency adds.
ENI Chairman Giuseppe Recchi told Bloomberg an end to Gadhafi's regime would be a "very positive" development for his country.
Energy analysts note it may take awhile for Libyan oil production to return to pre-crisis levels of 1.3 million barrels per day.
