Oman Expands Oil, Gas Exploration by Signing New Concession Agreement

Officials at the contract signing ceremony (Oman News Agency)
Officials at the contract signing ceremony (Oman News Agency)
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Oman Expands Oil, Gas Exploration by Signing New Concession Agreement

Officials at the contract signing ceremony (Oman News Agency)
Officials at the contract signing ceremony (Oman News Agency)

The Omani Ministry of Energy and Minerals on Sunday signed an agreement with Daleel Petroleum Company (the operator) to explore and develop Concession Area No. 15 in Al Dhahirah Governorate.
The concession agreement constitutes a strategic step towards enhancing oil and gas reserves and expanding production rates through the resources of Area No. 15, a stretch of ​​1,389 square kilometers.
Through this new agreement, Daleel Petroleum Company will undertake a set of geological and geophysical studies, reprocess existing seismic data, conduct a 3D seismic survey and drill several wells to assess the hydrocarbon potential in the designated area.
The agreement was signed by Salim al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, Mohammed al Barwani, Chairman and Founder of Mohammed Al Barwani Group and Zhang Yu, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China’s national development corporation.
Salah Hafiz Al Dhahab, Director General of Investment at the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, said that Daleel Petroleum company was awarded the contract (as the operator) due to its success in developing Concession Area No. 5 with high efficiency and raising its daily oil production from 5,000 to more than 50,000 barrels per day, according to the Oman News Agency.
Al Dhahab added that the agreement embodies the government’s confidence in national companies operating in the sector, while at the same time underlines Oman’s keenness to consolidate its relationship with Chinese partners, opening the way for more cooperation opportunities that would attract foreign investments.



Türkiye's Botas Buying 4 bcm of LNG from Shell in 10-year Deal

The logo of a Shell gas station is pictured in Ulm, Germany, April 6, 2017. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle
The logo of a Shell gas station is pictured in Ulm, Germany, April 6, 2017. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle
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Türkiye's Botas Buying 4 bcm of LNG from Shell in 10-year Deal

The logo of a Shell gas station is pictured in Ulm, Germany, April 6, 2017. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle
The logo of a Shell gas station is pictured in Ulm, Germany, April 6, 2017. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle

Turkish state energy company Botas and British oil major Shell signed a 10-year LNG agreement on Monday, the Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said.

"A total of 40 LNG cargoes of approximately 4 billion cubic meters will be delivered annually for a period covering 10 years starting from 2027," Bayraktar said, Reuters reported.

"This agreement ... provides additional regional and global trade opportunities with the options of receiving (LNG) from the filling port and unloading to European terminals."

Speaking in the ceremony, Bayraktar said the deal has strengthened Turkey's prospects of becoming a natural gas centre and its role in playing a part in Europe's supply security.

Botas signed a 10-year LNG agreement with ExxonMobil in May, under which Botas will purchase up to 2.5 million tons of LNG per year from the US company.

Türkiye meets almost all of its consumption needs with imported gas and brought in 14.3 billion cubic metres (bcm), or 28.3% of the 50.5 bcm that it consumed last year, in the form of LNG.

Türkiye has the supply flexibility to a large part of national consumption needs with liquefied gas instead of pipeline gas if needed, with a gasification capacity of approximately 0.16 bcm per day, according to Reuters calculations.