Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Italy's ENI said on Thursday they had completed the second phase of a project at the Bahr Essalam offshore gas field to increase production.

The field is a joint venture between the two companies operated by NOC subsidiary Mellitah Oil and Gas Company.

Phase two of the project increases field production from 995 million standard cubic feet of gas per day to 1,100 million, NOC said in a statement.

"Production from the field's ninth well began earlier this month, while work on the last well is currently in progress," it said.

"The completion of Phase 2 is a testament to NOC's ongoing partnership with key international players and our ability to drive international investment to the Libyan energy sector, despite an ongoing backdrop of conflict," it added.

OPEC oil producer Libya descended into chaos following the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with several armed groups and two administrations vying for power.

(Reporting by Asma Alsharif and Ahmed Elumami; Editing by Mark Potter) ((Asma.Alsharif@thomsonreuters.com;))