AGIP is staging a comeback in Eritrea after an absence of more than half-a-century in a move that heralds the arrival of several companies angling for acreage in this fledgling exploration play. The Italian oil company has reached an agreement in principle with the Ministry of Mines and Energy to acquire a 30% interest in the southerly Edd onshore block operated by Anadarko, which has been the sole player in Eritrea since 1995.