In October, Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia's leading oil producers, were sanctioned by the UK and the United States for their role in financing Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
The general license, amended today, now also allows payments and commercial operations related to Zohr until October 2027.
The license does not provide any reasons for the exemption. The British government has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Other projects exempted by the license include major oil and gas ventures in Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Caspian region.
Zohr is operated by Eni and, with an estimated 30 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas, is the largest field in the Mediterranean, although production has fallen well below its 2019 peak.
Eni has committed to investing around $8 billion in Egypt and has recently launched a drilling campaign in the Mediterranean to boost output.
(Translated by Anna Uras, editing by Sabina Suzzi)
