Continental Focus, International Reach

Shell Enters Mauritania

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Shell has picked up stakes offshore Mauritania with the signing of two PSCs with the government. The PSCs are for blocks C-10 and C-19. Shell will operate the exploration program with a 90% interest. Société Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures et de PatrimoineMinier, the national oil company of Mauritania, holds a 10% interest.

“This move represents Shell’s entry into the West African Atlantic Margin exploration basin, which has significant potential,” said Andy Brown, Shell’s Upstream Director. “We look forward to working with the government and people of Mauritania as we bring our expertise and technical capability to help develop the country’s emerging energy sector.”

The Mauritanian Minister of Oil, Energy and Mining, Mohamed Ould Abdel Vetah, said: “Shell’s new entry in the Mauritania offshore area represents an important added value to the exploration activities and will contribute to maintain the momentum for developing the energy sector in Mauritania.”

Following the customary government approvals of the contracts, Shell will set up an office in Nouakchott and begin exploration activities, starting with reprocessing and analyzing existing seismic data and the acquisition of new data.

Additionally, Shell and the government of Mauritania have agreed in a MoU to jointly evaluate further offshore exploration opportunities, examine new ways of meeting the country’s domestic energy needs, and build capability in the energy sector.


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