17 companies shortlisted for Uganda’s First Licensing Round for Petroleum Exploration, Development and Production
Following the end of a deadline for the Process of receiving the Request for Qualification ended on 30th June, 2015 the Ministry has said it has registered seventeen valid applicants out of the nineteen applicants that had registered for licenses in six blocks in the Albertine Basin.
The six blocks on offer are; Ngassa (410 Km2) in Hoima District, Taitai & Karuka (565 Km2) in Buliisa District, Ngaji (895 Km2), Rukungiri & Kanungu Districts, Mvule (344 Km2) in Moyo and Yumbe Districts together with Turaco (425 Km2) and Kanywantaba (344 Km2) in Ntoroko District.
According to Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development F. A. Kabagambe-Kaliisa the registration of Seventeen valid applications presents a significant milestone given the several challenges the entire oil and gas industry is going through.
The Uganda Government will now undertake the evaluation of the Application for Qualification between 1st July and 30th July 2015 with qualified applicants will be displayed on10th August 2015.
Kabagambe-Kaliisa adds that the Government will issue Request for Proposal/ bidding and the modal Production Sharing Agreement documents to qualified applicants on 20th August,2015 with applicants then required to bid for blocks or a block of their interest after the mandatory acquisition of data in the blocks or a block through the physical Data Room at the Directorate of Petroleum in Entebbe.
The companies that will submit the best evaluated bids will proceed to negotiate with government before signing Production Sharing Agreements with them.
‘Government has planned to award new Petroleum Exploration, Development and Production licenses before the end of this year if all goes according to the planned licensing roadmap,’ explained Dr. Kabagambe – Kaliisa.
The following Oil and Gas Companies submitted the Expression of Interest:
- Rift Energy Corp from United States of America (USA)
- Mubadala Petroleum of United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- SASOL Exploration and Production International of south Africa
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Videsh Limited (ONGC) of India
- Petoil Limited from Turkey
- Atlas Petroleum International Limited from Nigeria
- Oranto Petroleum International Limited from Nigeria
- Niger delta Petroleum Resources from Nigeria
- Africa Global Resources (Telconet Capital Ltd Partnership-Tatneft-Rostec) JV from Russia
- Petrica Energy As from Norway
- PTT Exploration and Production PCL from Thailand
- Glint Energy LLC of United States of America (USA)
- Rapid Africa Energy (Pty) Ltd of South Africa
- Dragon Oil International Ltd of UAE
- BRIGHTOIL Petroleum Uganda Ltd of Hong Kong/China
- WALTERSMITH PETROMAN of Nigeria
- ARMOUR ENERGY Ltd of Australia
- Swala Energy Ltd of Australia
- Tullow Uganda Operation Pty Ltd affiliated to Tullow Ireland
The success follows a host of measures undertaken by the government that included international promotional events in the United States and United Kingdom.