East Africa to Offer More Acreage

Companies looking at East Africa should prepare to open their wallets as Kenya and Mozambique will be putting some acreage on the market. In Kenya the country’s energy minister, Kiratu Murungi said at an industry event on October 15 that the country will auction six exploration blocks by the end of this year.

The Kenyan government had previously said in July that it planned on delineating new acreage from acreage that Tullow and Anadarko had given up under the terms of their exploration licenses. Tullow Oil relinquished 25% of Block 10BB, where it made an oil discovery, as well as 25% of Block 13T. Anadarko gave up 25% of each of its five offshore blocks.

In Mozambique a new licensing round is expected to be launched in Q1 2013. Abdul Razak Noormahomed, vice-minister of Mineral Resources, told Reuters on the sidelines of an industry event that about 12 blocks will be put on offer. Of the 12 blocks, at least three will be in the discovery prolific Rovuma basin.