Total was awarded by Mauritania's Petroleum, Energy and Mines Ministry two new offshore exploration and production contracts, the energy giant announced Wednesday. The contracts cover Blocks C15 and C31 deep offshore Mauritania, covering an area of 14,175 square kilometers, according to Total's statement.
Total will be the operator of these two blocks with a 90 percent interest while the Societe Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures et de Patrimoine Minier (SMHPM) will hold the remaining 10 percent. "Combined with its participation interest and operatorship in Blocks C7, C9 and C18, the award of these new blocks strengthens Total's position in the emerging hydrocarbons basin offshore Mauritania," the statement read.
According to the press release, from Mauritania to Senegal, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, this core area comprises half of Total's acreage in Africa, as the Mauritanian basin remains one of the most promising.
"This agreement contributes to the implementation of Total's strategy that aims to explore basins in proven yet underexplored petroleum systems," said Arnaud Breuillac, president of exploration and production at Total.
"The addition of these new blocks to our existing positions demonstrates our commitment to the development of the Mauritanian oil sector and will enhance Total’s presence in West Africa, one of the Group’s core exploration areas," he added.
According to the statement, Total has been present in Mauritania for nearly 20 years, and the group is the only oil and gas major active in the marketing of oil products in the country, with a retail network of 38 service stations. Total has increased its exploration in the country through the acquisition of two new deep offshore licenses, Block C7 with a 90 percent participating interest in May 2017 and Block C18 with a 45 percent participating interest in August 2017.
The group also operates the deep offshore C9 license with a 90 percent participating interest, and is planning to drill a well in the block next year in line with its exploration program.
