By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 12 -- Venezuela's Ministry of Energy and Mines has selected ChevronTexaco affiliate ChevronTexaco Overseas Petroleum to operate the Plataforma Deltana Block 3 offshore exploration license on Venezuela's Atlantic continental shelf.
The company early last year received the license to operate Plataforma Deltana Block 2, in which it now is a partner with ConocoPhillips and state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA (OGJ Online, Feb. 10, 2003). Statoil ASA last year was awarded Block 4.
The Deltana Plataforma area E&P license initiative consists of five blocks totaling 3,000 sq km that are believed to contain giant gas-prone structures. Block 5 has yet to be awarded.
Venezuela is considering committing some Plataform Deltana gas to Trinidad and Tobago's Atlantic LNG export project, and PDVSA, in concert with several multinational companies, is pursuing its own LNG export project, dubbed Mariscal Sucre, involving gas fields in the Gulf of Paria (OGJ, Dec. 22, 2003, p. 22).
"A successful exploration program in Block 3, coupled with our ongoing activities in Block 2 could lead to a commercially viable resource base and [an] LNG business in Venezuela," said George Kirkland, president of the ChevronTexaco affiliate.