Oman Offers Seven Oil, Gas Blocks for Exploration

The government of Oman has invited local and international oil and gas companies to bid for licenses to explore for oil and gas in a total of seven offshore and onshore blocks.

Blocks on offer include three deep offshore blocks — 18, 41 and 59, while the others — 43A, 48, 56, and 57 — are onshore blocks, Saleh Ali al Anboori, Director-General of Petroleum Investments, said, Oman Observer reported. Deadline for submission of bids is January 31, 2013.

Of the three offshore blocks on offer, Block 59 is essentially virgin acreage. Block 18, on the other hand, is one of two blocks relinquished by Indian business conglomerate Reliance.

Significantly, three of the four onshore blocks on offer as part of the latest bid rounds have either proven hydrocarbon resources or are located in the vicinity of major producing fields, the newspaper said.