The government in Brazzaville, on Wednesday emerged from a cabinet meeting with the adoption of five draft decrees granting, renewal and extension of the petroleum exploration permit of the Congolese National Petroleum Company (SNPC) and its partners, APA can report Thursday.
By Leon Charles Moukouri
The first of these five measures is the draft decree granting SNPC a permit for the exploration of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons, known as the “Nsoko II Permit.”
Originally awarded in 2003 to TotalFinaElf EP, this license was extended in 2013 for a five-year period.
The second draft decree gives SNPC a permit for the exploration of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons, known as the “Nanga I permit.”
Covering 686.7square km, the so-called “Nanga I” exploration area was the subject of a special agreement signed on December 6, 2017 between Congo and Total E & P Congo.
In accordance with the provisions of Article 9 of the 2016 Hydrocarbons Code Act, the parties propose that this exploration permit be allocated to SNPC for four years and three years for the two possible renewal periods.
The contracted group will be composed of SNPC (15 percent) and Total E & P Congo (85 percent), with the possibility for SNPC joining with other companies at the time of production.
The third decree grants SNPC a permit for the exploration of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons, known as the Marine XX Permit.
Located in very deep offshore, the exploration area covers 3,285.8 square km for an estimated water depth of 2000 meters.
In accordance with Article 9 of the Hydrocarbons Code, it is proposed to allocate the “Marine XX” exploration permit to SNPC, where the conduct of oil operations would be entrusted to Total E & P Congo.
In addition, the government has also adopted two draft decrees for the second renewal of the permit for the exploration of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons, known as the “Marine III License” for the first, and the extension of the exploration license for liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons, known as “Permit High Sea B” for the second.
LCM/cat/fss/as/APA