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Home > Finance > Italy's Eni weighs return to oil and gas trading, FT reports

Italy's Eni weighs return to oil and gas trading, FT reports

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®

Posted on February 18, 2026

2 min read

Last updated: February 18, 2026

Italy's Eni weighs return to oil and gas trading, FT reports - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review

Tags:oil and gas trading platform financial management Investment strategy

Quick Summary

Eni considers re-entering oil trading to leverage market volatility, inspired by BP, Shell, and TotalEnergies' success.

Italy's Eni weighs return to oil and gas trading, FT reports

Eni's Strategic Shift in Trading

Feb 18 (Reuters) - Italian energy major Eni is weighing re-entering oil and gas trading as it seeks the outsized returns enjoyed by BP, Shell and TotalEnergies, amid geopolitically-driven price volatility, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

CEO's Insights on Trading

"I stopped trading in 2019 but the other big companies are all traders," Eni Chief Executive Claudio Descalzi told FT. "BP, Shell, Total are big traders and they make billions from that."

Potential Partnerships

Descalzi said he has held preliminary talks with several commodity companies, including Mercuria, about forming a joint venture.

Independent Trading Unit

"It is not in our DNA. We are not very commercial. So I thought to become commercial, we have to have a partnership to understand the business," he said.

Descalzi added that the trading unit would operate independently of Eni.

Bloomberg News reported in January that Eni was in talks with Mercuria over a potential partnership in commodity trading.

Vitol, the world's largest commodity trading house in terms of oil volumes sold, struck a deal with Eni in 2025 to acquire stakes in the Italian company's West African oil and gas assets.

(Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Editing by Eileen Soreng)

Key Takeaways

•Eni is considering re-entering oil and gas trading.
•The decision is influenced by market volatility and competitor success.
•CEO Claudio Descalzi highlights trading benefits.
•BP, Shell, and TotalEnergies are key competitors.
•Geopolitical tensions are impacting energy prices.

Frequently Asked Questions about Italy's Eni weighs return to oil and gas trading, FT reports

1What is oil and gas trading?

Oil and gas trading involves the buying and selling of crude oil, natural gas, and their derivatives in various markets. Traders aim to profit from price fluctuations driven by supply and demand dynamics.

2What is a trading platform?

A trading platform is a software application that allows investors to buy and sell financial securities, such as stocks and commodities, through financial intermediaries like brokers.

3What is investment strategy?

An investment strategy is a plan designed to help investors achieve their financial goals by outlining how to allocate assets, manage risks, and select investments.

Eni's Strategic Shift in Trading

CEO's Insights on Trading

"I stopped trading in 2019 but the other big companies are all traders," Eni Chief Executive Claudio Descalzi told FT. "BP, Shell, Total are big traders and they make billions from that."

Potential Partnerships

Descalzi said he has held preliminary talks with several commodity companies, including Mercuria, about forming a joint venture.

Independent Trading Unit

"It is not in our DNA. We are not very commercial. So I thought to become commercial, we have to have a partnership to understand the business," he said.

Descalzi added that the trading unit would operate independently of Eni.

Bloomberg News reported in January that Eni was in talks with Mercuria over a potential partnership in commodity trading.

Vitol, the world's largest commodity trading house in terms of oil volumes sold, struck a deal with Eni in 2025 to acquire stakes in the Italian company's West African oil and gas assets.

(Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Editing by Eileen Soreng)

Frequently Asked Questions

1What is oil and gas trading?

2What is a trading platform?

A trading platform is a software application that allows investors to buy and sell financial securities, such as stocks and commodities, through financial intermediaries like brokers.

3What is investment strategy?

An investment strategy is a plan designed to help investors achieve their financial goals by outlining how to allocate assets, manage risks, and select investments.