Consumer countries, producer countries, and the oil industry

Abstract

This chapter examines the impact that Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI), through Enrico Mattei, had on international oil policies, in order to evaluate the effective degree of novelty and the long-term changes the Italian firm brought to the oil industry. An important aspect of Enrico Mattei’s approach to the oil industry, in his negotiations with producer countries, was to highlight the fact that ENI’s oil agreements were never just about oil. The Iranian case was considered a slap in the face against ENI’s international position and pushed Enrico Mattei to look for other ways to acquire autonomous sources of energy while at the same time pursuing a more aggressive oil policy. Even ENI’s efforts to promote different forms of oil nationalism in Europe and in Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries countries were ultimately a way to consolidate the firm’s position as a strong interlocutor in the global oil industry.