Angola has unveiled details of a new schedule for its delayed onshore licensing round covering nine blocks in the Kwanza and Lower Congo basins.

ANPG, the upstream regulator, said bidders have until 30 April to access data rooms and bids must be submitted by 9 June, with proposals to be opened the following day.

Contracts are forecast to be signed on 22 November.

Interested companies must pay $1 million to access the data packages, although the regulator has yet to reveal the dates of any roadshows.

ANPG had originally intended to proceed last year with the acreage offering, which covers six blocks in the Kwanza basin and three in the Lower Congo basin.

However, plans were put on hold due to the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

ANPG chairman Paulino Jeronimo said the licensing round aims to relaunch exploration and production activities onshore Angola and hopes that local companies will apply for the blocks.

He said the round aims to “stimulate the local creation of small and medium (size) oil companies, promote the (use) of qualified Angolan labour (and) foster technological innovation and good governance practices”.

The three Lower Congo basin blocks lie close to Soyo port and, according to the ANPG, could house estimated in-place oil resources of 1.05 billion to 1.95 billion barrels.

ANPG said 11 oilfields and two gas fields have been discovered in the Kwanza basin, with combined in-place resources of 400 million barrels of oil equivalent, around 90 million boe of which has been produced.

However, production was abandoned in 1998 due to the civil war.

Exploration

Angola unveils new schedule for delayed onshore round