Madagascar's delayed round may return soon

摘要

A SENIOR TGS executive hopes that Madagascar's suspended licensing round could be revived "soon", writes Iain Esau. The 44-block round in the Morondava basin was suspended on 15 February until further notice by Madagascar's new Minister of Mines & Strategic Resources, Fidinarivo Ravokatra. The acreage offering was due to be run by state hydrocarbons agency Omnis in partnership with Oslo-based TGS and China's BGP, with additional data coming from Ion, CGG, Spectrum and UK-based Spec-Partners. Eugenio Toraldo Serra, who handles government liaison activities for TGS in Africa, said: "Personally, I think the licensing round will start very soon." He was speaking to a small industry audience in London at what was originally planned to be an official round roadshow - following a similar event in Houston last week - which turned into presentations on data, prospectivity and the petroleum code.