Total has signed up to explore another deepwater block offshore Mauritania that the French giant says is in a high-potential zone.
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Image from Total. |
Total inked an exploration and production contract with Mauritania for the 7300sq km Block C7, with the company holding operatorship and 90% stake in the area. Partner Société Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures et de Patrimoine Minier (SMHPM) will hold the remaining 10%.
“This agreement is part of Total’s strategy to explore new deepwater basins in Africa. The addition of the C7 block to our existing C9 deepwater license creates a contiguous exploration area of around 17,000sq km in a high-potential zone in offshore Mauritania,” says Guy Maurice, senior VP, Africa at Total Exploration & Production.
Total, which has been present in Mauritania for nearly 20 years, holds a 90% stake in the deepwater C9 exploration license, an area that spans 10,150sq km.
This month alone has spurred efforts offshore Africa, particularly Senegal, with Total signing two deals, and supermajor BP along with partner Kosmos Energy announcing their Yakaar-1 discovery.
Total’s first deal, in which the company will take operatorhsip with 90% stake, is an exploration and production sharing contract for the Rufisque Offshore Profond block, which covers an area of 10,357sq km. Société Nationale des Pétroles du Sénégal (Petrosen) will hold the remaining 10%.
Total also signed a cooperation agreement with Petrosen and Senegal’s Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energy Development that will see Total perform studies to assess the exploration potential of Senegal’s ultra deep offshore and become operator of an exploration block.
The following week, BP and Kosmos hit a major gas discovery at the Yakaar-1 in the Cayar Offshore Profond block, which could possibly support a second LNG hub in the basin.
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