The Chinese owned national upstream company CNOOC has dominated the recently concluded 6th Mozambique Licensing bid Round for Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production areas that was opened on November 24, 2021, as announced by the National Petroleum Institute – winning five regions out of six. The Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy (MIREME) launched the Sixth Public License Round for the Concession of sixteen (16) Areas for Exploration and Production of Hydrocarbons, which ran for twelve (12) months and comprised two phases namely:
1. The Prequalification phase, which was for a period of four (4) months, from November 2021 to March 2022, aimed to determine the companies that meet the Legal, Financial, Technical and Safety, Health and Environment requirements, required under Appendices A and D;
2. The Qualification phase, which was for a period of eight (8) months, from April 2022 to November 2022, due to the extension of the License Round period by another three (3) months, from August 31 to August 11 November 2022, in response of the request submitted by potential bidders. The objective of this phase was to determine the companies that gather the best Technical terms (minimum work program), Financial terms (gains for the State from an economic point of view, Institutional support, Social and Human Capital Training), required under the terms of Appendices B and C.
A total of sixteen (16) Areas located offshore, were made available to bidders spread over Mozambique (Angoche, Zambeze and Save regions) and Rovuma Basins, comprising approximately 92,000 Km². In response to the License Round, INP received and evaluated six (6) proposals, distributed across an equal number of areas. From the evaluation of the valid offers, the following operators were selected as winners:
Region Area Winner (operator)
• Angoche Área A6-C Eni Mozambico S.p.A
• Angoche Área A6-D CNOOC Hong Kong Holding Ltd
• Angoche Área A6-E CNOOC Hong Kong Holding Ltd
• Angoche Área A6-G CNOOC Hong Kong Holding Ltd
• Save Área S6-A CNOOC Hong Kong Holding Ltd
• Save Área S6-B CNOOC Hong Kong Holding Ltd
Despite the unfavorable economic situation, due to the latest events related to the COVID19 pandemic around the world, and the global approach regarding the energy transition, the proposals received presented work programs which demonstrate that Mozambique is an attractive country with a great hydrocarbon potential.
The Exploration programs proposed for the first sub-period of the Exploration Period, have the potential to allow investments amounting to approximately USD 369,800,000.00 (Three hundred and Sixty-nine million and eight hundred thousand of United States of America dollars), foreseeing the acquisition of 31,200 Km2 of 3D seismic, opening of a minimum of four (4) wells in deep water, and other geoscientific studies.
5600 Km2 Save % Area S6-B (5883 Km2) Operator 77 CNNOC Hong Kong Holding ltd State Participation 23 ENH Duration of the First Sub-Period 4 Years Minimum Expenses for the First Sub-Period 58.7 M$ Minimum Technical Work Program for the First Sub-Period 5900 Km2 and 1 Well.
