Gabon has awarded 13 oil and gas blocks to 11 energy companies as part of a deepwater licensing round, which the country hopes will help double its output to 500,000 bpd
Exploration
Serica Energy starts drilling in Morocco’s Foum Draa Licence
Serica Energy has announced that it has commenced drilling operations in the Foum Draa Licence offshore Morocco
South Sudan to start auction of petroleum exploration blocks by year end
South Sudan has announced plans to start the bidding of new petroleum exploration blocks by the end of 2013 following the completion of mapping of the blocks
Protests halt Tullow's oil production in Kenya
Tullow Oil suspended drilling operations on two oil exploration blocks in northwest Kenya last weekend following protests by local residents demanding more jobs at the sites
Angola set to launch bidding on 15 oil block licences in 2014
Angola will look to start the bidding process for 15 new offshore and onshore oil exploration licences in Q1 2014, according to the countrys Oil Ministry