"ENI, a multinational oil and gas company headquartered in Italy, will explore for oil and gas in eight townships in Mandalay Region, U Tin Win Hlaing, the chairman of the Mandalay regional parliament’s Industry, Energy and Electricity Committee, confirmed to The Irrawaddy. Exploration will be carried out in PSC-K, an onshore oil and gas block encompassing 1.3 million acres (approximately 526,000 hectares) and more than 370 villages in Tatkon, Yamethin, Pyawbwe, Wundwin, Thazi, Myittha, Kyaukse and Singaing townships, he said. ENI Co. explained its exploration plans to the Mandalay regional government and parliament in early November, and plans to hold consultations with local residents later this month. “First, it will conduct geophysical surveys before conducting a feasibility study,” U Hlaing Win said. ENI Co. and local company Myanmar Petroleum Exploration and Production (MPEP) won a tender in 2014 to explore onshore block PSC-K. The Italian company owns 90 percent of the venture, and the local company 10 percent..."