Yemen’s oil ministry has selected a unit of DNO International ASA, Oslo, as successful bidder for onshore Block 84 in the Masila-Seiyun basin.
Block 84 covers 731 sq km adjacent to Block 14, where more than 1 billion bbl of oil have been discovered. DNO International already holds interests in five onshore Yemen blocks, two of which, Blocks 43 and 47, are in the same basin.
DNO Yemen AS was awarded a 59.5% participating interest (70% paying interest) and operatorship of Block 84, joining Turkey’s Dogan Enerji Yatirimlari Sanayi ve Ticaret AS with a 25.5% participating interest (30% paying interest) and Yemen Oil & Gas Corp. with a 15% participating interest.
The partners will shoot new 3D seismic and drill two exploratory wells in the first exploration period. The block award is subject to customary government approvals and ratification of a production sharing agreement.