Eni and BP, the two largest producers of gas in Egypt, have both notched up substantial falls in the amounts they are owed by Egyptian state firm EGPC.

Eni, in its 2016 annual report, released 22 March, says that as of end-2016 the “overdue” portion of sums owed to it by “state-owned oil companies in Egypt” was €420mn ($441mn). This represents a fall of $396mn (47%) from the end-2015 figure of €771mn ($837mn), with the total down almost $500mn over two years (see table). (CONTINUED - 3007 WORDS)