R1-4 interest1 May 2020 23:34
2/6/15
"Africa Energy Intelligence understands the British explorer Savannah Petroleum, which was already awarded two relinquished blocks, R1 and R2, on the huge Agadem block, is currently in talks with Niger’s government on acquiring the R3/R4 permits that China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) handed back in 2013.
The company, which has been interested in the blocks for some months, is headed by Andrew Knott and chaired by Steve Jenkins (Circle Oil), and it recently shifted into a more active phase in negotiations. Savannah sent senior executives to Niamey in mid-May to negotiate the acquisition of the blocks with the country’s powerful hydrocarbons director, Adolphe Gbaguidi. They also met with one of the chiefs of the Drake & Bart consulting concern, Jean Benoit de Mascarel. The oil ministry headed by Foumakoye Gado has a long-term contract with Drake & Bart.
Savannah laid out $34 million in signing bonuses for R1 and R2, a sum that appears somewhat modest in view of promising data acquired on the concessions during exploration campaigns by CNPC over the past seven years.
The R3 and R4 blocks are also being sought by the Nigerian junior Oranto headed by billionaire Arthur Eze (AEI 735) but it seems unlikely to win the prize. "
16 months ago -13/11/18
Behind the scenes of Oranto's power play to take blocks, at last.
The Nigerian junior has picked up four strategic blocks with help from its trusted advisors.
After years of trying (AEI 676), Nigerian junior Oranto Petroleum has at last managed to make its first move into Niger with the purchase of four new blocks. The company founder and CEO, billionaire Prince Arthur Eze, who hails from the Nigerian south-eastern state of Anambra, signed a memorandum of understanding with Niamey for the sale of blocks R5 and R6, two relinquished areas of the Agadem block, Dibella, and Dallol, located in the Tenere and Agadem basins. Part of the initial Agadem block has been operated by Chinese major China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) since 2008 and in production since 2011. Eze replaces a fellow Nigerian businessman on Dibella and Dallol, formerly owned by Nigerian entrepreneur Alhadji Mangal's firm Labana Petroleum. Mangal is said to be the wealthiest man of his northern Katsina state, homeland to President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to our information, Oranto should sign its production sharing contracts by mid-November. The terms for the deal are expected to be the same as those granted to British junior Savannah Petroleum on its blocks R1, R2, R3 and R4 - also blocks returned by CNPC on Agadem. Oranto had also tried to pick up these blocks in 2015 (AEI 747).
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I see no record of Oranto having R5 and R6 signed yet as it was only an MOU.
Will they seek to partner Savp giving their specific interest in these blocks for so long.