The opening of proposals for the public tender limited by invitation took place this Tuesday in Luanda, with the presence of the Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, and the Secretary of State for Oil and Gas, José Barroso.
Three of the world's largest oil companies have submitted proposals for two of the blocks being tendered, both in the Lower Congo Basin, "reaching the potential of the initial investment to ensure the execution of the minimum work program, in the amount of US$58.6 million ", says a statement from the state concessionaire.
Eni Angola submitted a bid for Block 31/21, as operator, with a 50 percent stake and in consortium with Equinor. It also features a bonus of five million dollars, with a single payment, 30 days after the first production of oil in that block.
Total Energies submitted a bid for Block 16/21, with a 100 percent stake. The bonus proposed to be paid is in accordance with the volume of production accumulated within the block's development area.
Blocks 32/21, 33/21 and 34/21 in the Baixo Congo Sea Basin and 7/21, 8/21 and 9/21 in the Kwanza Sea Basin that did not receive bids will be immediately available for award.
Paulino Jerónimo, ANPG's CEO, said in the welcome message that he was pleased that the National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels had achieved the objectives defined for the national bidding strategy, underlining the assessment of the Angolan oil potential and attracting companies with proven experience in the sector.
"Knowing that the basins in the bidding have been studied, that investors have been able to prove it, that our business environment is recommended - and that investors recognize it - and that ANPG is a guarantor of dialogue and continuous work with operators and with partners who trust Angola, it is something that shows us that we are on the right path and that we must increasingly commit ourselves to boosting our oil sector and its contribution to the national economy", underlined the President of ANPG.
In the opening speech of the session, Diamantino Azevedo, for his part, said in his speech that "the resumption of bidding in Angola, after its long stop, is something that in due course will contribute to the dynamism of the industry and the economy, since without investment there will be neither new discoveries nor increased production".
"The fact that we are gathered here to attend the public opening of proposals for the third round of bids is already a victory for this entire team that has been committed to executing the national strategy outlined for the sector", said the minister.
Diamantino Azevedo also said that the objective is to "continue to work with the dynamics of the world extractive industry in order to obtain concrete results from the potential of natural resources available in this important sector of the economy, exploring more and producing more".
