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Sasol
Signs Drilling contract in Mozambique
07-17-2008
Sasol and Mozambican State Oil
Company, Empresa Naçional de Hidrocarbonetos E.P. (ENH), today announced the
finalisation of drilling and towing contracts to pursue its hydrocarbon
exploration project in offshore Mozambique. Drilling operations will start
during the third quarter of 2008.
A lease agreement has been signed for a mobile offshore drilling unit with
Transocean Offshore International Ventures. Two towing and anchor handling
vessels to support the rig will be supplied by Varun Shipping Company. The rig
and vessels are expected to arrive in Mozambique towards the end of August 2008.
"The drilling of explorations wells will take place in deep water, well away
from the shallow environmentally sensitive waters of the Bazaruto Archipelago.
Safety and protection of the environment will be key to the drilling exploration
program that is expected to be completed by year end," says Lean Strauss group
general manager, Sasol International Energy Cluster.
Sasol Petroleum Sofala Limitada (SPS) and ENH are the concession holders of
Blocks 16 and 19 offshore Mozambique. The exploration area covers about 11 000
square kilometres and is directly opposite Sasol's existing onshore gas
operations at Pande and Temane.
"The drilling campaign is a further demonstration of our commitment to upstream
development in Mozambique and the technical and commercial ability of Sasol to
execute upstream exploration projects. We recently completed our seismic
operation in the two blocks incident free and with no impact on the
environment," says Strauss.
Should the drilling campaign be successful, Sasol intends to supply the natural
gas to markets in Mozambique and South Africa.
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