The biggest oil and gas company in Italy is Eni S.p.A., a multinational energy giant and one of the world's "supermajors," with significant operations in petroleum, natural gas, and petrochemicals, and substantial ownership by the Italian government.
On the Fortune Global 500, Eni is the largest petroleum company in Italy, the second largest based in the European Union (after TotalEnergies), and the 13th largest in the world. In 2024, the company's seat in the Forbes Global 2000 was 151, while in the Fortune Global 500 it was 98.
Nearly all accounts of Big Oil include ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, Eni and TotalEnergies. All six of these companies are vertically integrated within the industry and operate upstream, midstream, and downstream.
Eni, Italian energy company operating primarily in petroleum, natural gas, and petrochemicals. Established in 1953, it is one of Europe's largest oil companies in terms of sales. Eni has operations in more than 70 countries.
The best way to get a taste of Italy is to be sure to include the “Big Three” on your Italian Trip – Rome, Venice, and Florence. These three cities have been and always will be Italy's most popular tourist spots, each offering something unique for those who take a trip to Italy.
What are the Biggest Industries in Italy?
The seven sisters were the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (later Exxon), the Standard Oil Company of New York (Socony, later Mobil, which eventually merged with Exxon), the Standard Oil Company of California (Socal, later renamed Chevron), the Texas Oil Company (later renamed Texaco), Gulf Oil (which later merged ...
Venezuela holds 18% of the world's total proven oil reserves despite producing less than 1% of global consumption.
In 1882, Standard Oil Trust created a network of Standard Oil companies throughout the country, led by a board of trustees, where Rockefeller owned over one third of the certificates. By the late 1880s, Standard Oil controlled 90% of American refineries.
Top Companies. As of March 2025, Saudi Aramco stands as the world's largest oil and gas company, with a market capitalization of $1.648 trillion. Aramco is the biggest oil and gas corporation in the world.
1. Woodside Energy Group (ASX:WDS) As the biggest ASX-listed oil and gas stock by market cap, Woodside Energy Group leads the country in natural gas production and is considered a pioneer in Australia's LNG industry.
Saras Refinery. The Saras refinery is one of the largest facilities in the Mediterranean. Offering 300kbpd refining capacity and jetties with berths for 13 cargo ships, it supplies oil products across Italy and Europe.
In 2025, Generali was the most valuable Italian brand, with a brand value of 15.2 billion euros. Followed by Ferrari with brand values of 12.9 billion. Meanwhile, Gucci, which ranked first among Italian brands in 2024 with a brand value of 13.9 billion, dropped to third place in 2025.
Major shareholders
The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance has de facto control of Eni SpA by virtue of interests held either directly or via the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti SpA (CDP). Total of the shares held by Ministry of Economy and Finance and CDP SpA is 1,001,765,880, equal to 31.835% of the share capital.
The United States tops global oil production, pumping more than 20 million barrels per day.
Standard Oil gained a monopoly in the oil industry by buying rival refineries and developing companies for distributing and marketing its products around the globe. In 1882, these various companies were combined into the Standard Oil Trust, which would control some 90 percent of the nation's refineries and pipelines.
The Earth has finite amounts of fossil fuels. At current rates of consumption, estimates suggest oil and natural gas could run out in about 50 years, with coal having perhaps 70-100 years remaining.
Italy has a highly developed social market economy. It is the third-largest national economy in the European Union, the 8th-largest economy in the world by nominal GDP, and the 12th-largest by PPP-adjusted GDP. The country has the second-largest manufacturing industry in Europe and the 7th-largest in the world.
Bertolli is a brand of Italian food products produced by multiple companies around the world with the trademark owned by Japanese multinational Mizkan Holdings.
Recent research shows that the average Italian resident's monthly expenses range from €1,400 to €2,700 in major cities, while a family of four should budget between €3,000 and €4,500. But don't worry – there's plenty you can do to make the most of your budget no matter where you live.
It was closer to the epicenters of the Industrial Revolution and had better access to European markets, which helped develop its manufacturing and industrial base. In contrast, the South's economy remained largely agrarian and less industrialized.
Employment in Italy 2023, by economic sector
The industry sector employs the largest number of workers in Italy. In 20203, 4.75 million people were working in the manufacturing, mining, and energy supply sectors. Education and health followed with 3.6 million employed individuals.