Multinational oil companies Exxon Mobil, Rosneft and Totalenergies are among the 13 companies that have submitted proposals in the sixth tender for exploration and production of hydrocarbons in Mozambique, a government source told Portuguese news agency Lusa on Friday, 25 March.
As well as the three companies, also competing are Italy’s ENI, Russia’s Novatec, China’s Sinopec, CNOOC, CNPC and Petro China International, Qatar Petroleum, Sasol of South Africa, India’s ONGC Videsh, Ireland’s Discovery Exploration and Aiteo of Nigeria.
In addition to a bid from the parent company, Totalenergies submitted a second bid through one of its corporate arms, Totalenergies EP New Venture.
“The National Petroleum Institute (INP) will proceed with the evaluation of the documents and the list of the shortlisted companies will be published on 31 March 2022,” the source said.
The sixth tender for the concession of areas for hydrocarbon exploration and production was launched on 25 November 2021 and ends on 30 November, with the announcement of the results.
The process covers 16 areas of intervention: five in the Rovuma basin, seven in Angoche, two in the Zambezi Delta and two in Save, totalling over 92,000 square kilometres.
One of the regions, the Rovuma basin, under the ocean floor in the open sea off the coast of Cabo Delgado (north of the country), already has areas allocated.
Some of the world’s largest gas reserves were discovered there and will start being exploited this year.
Mozambique also has areas awarded under the fifth tender, which are awaiting exploration.
