Ejiofor Alike
Following a competitive bidding process in Equatorial Guinea’s 2019 licensing round (EGRONDA 2019), Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, Nigeria’s leading integrated energy company, was recently awarded Block EG-23 in Equatorial Guinea’s Niger Delta basin.
The Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea offered to the international oil and gas industry a total of 27 oil and gas blocks and the entire continental region of the country for mining exploration and received 21 offers.
Chief Executive Officer, Waltersmith Petroman Limited, Mr. Chikezie Nwosu, said in a statement issued at the weekend that after the evaluation of the different packages of offers received from interested companies, Block EG-23 which hosts the Estaurolita gas discovery was granted to WalterSmith-Hawtai Energy- GEPetrol SA.
According to the statement, GE Petrol, Equatorial Guinea’s national oil company has a 20 per cent participating interest in EG-23 while Waltersmith and Hawtai Energy Hongkong have 40 per cent participating interest each.
The EG-23 block is a shallow offshore block with water depths of about a 100metres.
The country’s Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbon in its website, also issued a press statement stating that “The Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons is pleased to announce the award of nine oil and gas blocks and 15 mining blocks to selected companies that participated in the petroleum bid and the first mining bid in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea (EGRONDA 2019).”
Speaking at the award ceremony, the Minister of mines and hydrocarbon, Gabriel Obiang stated that the EG-23 Block was a very strategic block for the Equatorial Guinea in view of the recently signed MoU for its LNG train, as the gas reserves from the block would be needed for LNG gas supply and expressed confidence in the competence and experience of Waltersmith to deliver on the development of hydrocarbons.
In his response, the Chairman of Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, Abdulrasaq Isa, expressed his appreciation to the Government of Equatorial Guinea for having confidence in Waltersmith as a company, and affirmed its readiness to bring its experience and capacity to Equatorial Guinea and collaborate with its partners.
The commercial agreements are expected to be ratified by all parties, the Equatorial Guinea Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons and the Equatorial Guinean Parliament in the coming weeks and signed by the President of Equatorial Guinea.
