Angolan ANPG takes action to make 2020 application cycle more transparent

AngolaRTL">‘s The National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) now allows those wishing to participate in the ongoing 2020 licensing cycle for oil blocks in the onshore Kwanza and Bas-Congo basins to consult the data packages available before purchasing them. The ANPG hopes that this will increase the transparency of the process, as foreseen by the current legal framework. This will ensure that qualified participants engage with the confidence to start the process and get deals at the end of the process. This will greatly reduce the risk of companies entering the process with a lot of uncertainties. Interested companies simply need to register their interest with the ANPG by post or email, requesting a free data consultation session. The session can be delivered virtually or in person.

The current licensing cycle is in line with Presidential Decree 52/19, which provides for annual application cycles until 2025. AngolaRTL">‘S regulator, ANPG, intends to generate interest far beyond traditional actors in AngolaRTL">‘s oil and gas sector. Special attention has been paid to attracting medium-sized explorers to AngolaRTL">‘s pools that have proven to be prolific in recent years and have provided returns for businesses well beyond industry averages in other places. Six licenses in the Kwanza basin and three licenses in the Bas-Congo basin are currently offered for this cycle. The current presidential decree 52/19 also specifies that the blocks will be allocated by public tender, restricted public tender and direct negotiation with clear deadlines in place.

The available data will provide a solid foundation on which models will be built to understand the oil and gas potential of the proposed blocks. Access to the data packages, which include the most relevant and essential information on the areas of interest, will help potential explorers prepare their proposals and their future strategy for the exploration and development of these concessions. Two data packages are currently available, each representing a proposed onshore basin:

1. The onshore Bas-Congo basin, where three (3) blocks are proposed, namely CON 1, 5 and 6.

This package includes the information obtained below which also covers adjacent blocks:

• Geological information concerning the 24 wells of the 3 blocks to be tendered and the 33 remaining wells of the adjacent blocks, constituting additional information
• 14 study reports detailing the stratigraphy, structural component and prospective of the territory
• Accessibility study (atlas)
• Georeferenced information (maps)
• Legal / legal information

2. The Kwanza Land Basin Data Package, where six (6) are offered namely KON 5, 6, 8, 9, 17 and 20, not only contains the data on the blocks on which to bid, but also includes information on Blocks belonging to this basin.

This second and final package includes the information detailed below which also covers the adjacent blocks.

• Geological information (reports and logs) of 47 wells, of which 36 belong to the proposed blocks and 11 wells belong to neighboring blocks.
• 13 reports of abandonment of the main fields in the basin
• Seismic data (vintage seismic)
• Accessibility study (atlas)
• Georeferenced information (maps)
• Legal / legal information

Note: It is important to note that geophysical data (seismic and magnetometric) are not part of the datasets.