Gambia' Oil Blocks: News -- May 2nd and May 4th

Gambia News....Some recent, some new............

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22 companies interested in Gambia’s oil blocks, 10 shortlisted

See link at: http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/ar...rested-in-gambiasac-oil-blocks-10-shortlisted

Wednesday, May 02, 2018

In a statement published on its website last week, the Gambia’s Ministry of Petroleum has announced that 22 oil companies expressed interest in four of the country’s oil blocks in the just-concluded international bidding process.

According to the ministry’s website, ten companies have been shortlisted among them “through an open and transparent process” in its quest to licence six open oil exploration blocks.

“Companies were invited to make a submission on company competencies. Twenty-two companies expressed interest in four blocks,” the statement said, adding that submissions were evaluated and ten companies shortlisted for the next stage.
Below are the names of the shortlisted companies:

• CNOOC INTERNATIONAL
• CNOOC UK
• ENISERVIZI
• FAR GAMBIA
• IMPACT OIL AND GAS LTD
• PETRONAS
• TALON PETROLEUM
• TOTAL
• TULLOW/WOODSIDE
• SVENSKA PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AB.

“Given the complexity of the licencing process, the Ministry is being supported by a team of consultants through an African Development Bank funded facility and a multi-institutional national Petroleum Negotiating Committee,” the statement added.

It noted that through this process, the ministry is determined to undertake “a transparent, fair and competitive process in order to get the best value for the country’s potential oil resources.”

The ministry will be Launching the Request for Proposal (RfP) as the next stage which will allow the shortlisted companies make proposals on key technical and commercial terms inline with the drafted Petroleum Explorations and Processing Licensing Act (PELPA).

Author: Sanna Camara
Source: Pictue:Minister Fafa Sanyang

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Petroleum Ministry to allow shortlisted bidders submit request

See link at: http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/ar...y-to-allow-shortlisted-bidders-submit-request

Friday, May 04, 2018

Petroleum and Energy Minister Fafa Sanyang has told the Upstream Global Oil and Gas News Source that his ministry’s website will soon be updated to allow shortlisted bidders to submit requests for proposals as the licencing process enters its second phase.

The government would then decide on the successful bidders by mid of this year with the likelihood of awarding PCSs in the subsequent months.

The deadline for companies to submit request for information on specified blocks was extended from Jan. 10, 2018 to Feb. 18, 2018, delaying request for proposals.

Eleven companies have been shortlisted including France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and two affiliates of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC). Australian juniors Far Ltd. and Talon Petroleum, U.K.-based Impact Oil and Gas, Sweden Svenska Petroleum and a joint venture of U.K.-based Tullow Oil and Australia’s Woodside Energy are also shortlisted.

Offer acreage include two on shore licenses A3 and A6 and deep licenses A1 and A4 that are currently claimed by Oslo listed African Petroleum (APCL).

According to government sources, A1 and A4 blocks are subjected to arbitration proceedings at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment, disputes will be given back to the company, to avoid lengthy and costly arbitration.

A government statement issued last week stipulates that 22 companies have expressed interest in offshore oil blocks making it easy to foresee many potential partnership and farm outs.

It is also reported in Africaintelligence.com that the hired Alexander Sarac from the British law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner no longer have any assignments with Gambia’s Petroleum Ministry.

Our source indicated that the Petroleum and Energy minister is concern about the potential fallout from the same arbitration against APCL over blocks A1 and A4. It further added that African Petroleum had been stripped of the permits of A1 and A4 situated south of Senegalese discoveries SNE and FAN (Operated by Cairn Energy) by the current government in early 2017.

Considering the possibility of what the blocks represent, African Petroleum would not concede easily and The Gambia government may find itself hit with a heavy fine if it loses the arbitration case.

Author: Momodou Jawo