QATAR WILL PRESS ahead with plans to offer gas exploration licences, despite the downturn in global energy prices.
Following the recent award of a production sharing agreement to Wintershall, the Gulf state will offer three additional gas exploration blocks.
“We expect to sign more exploration agreements during 2009,” said Abdullah al Attiyah, the deputy prime minister and energy minister of Qatar. Industry officials said state-owned Qatar Petroleum had cut a list of 20 international oil firms interested in competing for rights to explore Qatar’s newly created Block A offshore gas prospect to around 12 pre-qualified bidders.
