EQUATORIAL GUINEA Mysterious Fortuna bidders unveiled

摘要

As the country’s only offshore block that is not yet developed, Fortuna has been attracting more than the usual crowd of majors. Joining the likes of Russian major Rosneft, and China’s CEFC China Energy (AEI 839), British junior Genel Energy is also keen to get its hands on the EG-27 license on which sits the gas deposit Fortuna. And for good reason. Genel Energy boss, Bill Higgs, has inside knowledge of the permit. Before taking up his current position, Higgs served as chief operating officer of the British firm that discovered the field, Ophir Energy. Unable to drum up the $1.2 billion needed to build a FLNG facility to be able to collect and liquify 2.3 million tonnes of gas per annum, Ophir was forced to let the permit go in December last year. The government then promptly placed the asset back on sale under the 2019 Oil and Gas Ronda to be closed in September.