7 Oct 2024 15:25

Russia's RosGeo to expand hydrocarbon and solid minerals exploration in Equatorial Guinea

MOSCOW. Oct 7 (Interfax) - RosGeo, the Russian geological holding company, is ready to carry out full-scale geological exploration work in the transit zone of Equatorial Guinea's continental shelf, as well as onshore exploration work for solid minerals at previously identified promising sites in the country's Rio Muni region, the company said.

"RosGeo General Director Sergei Radkov stated the proposals during a working meeting with [Russian] Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and Equatorial Guinea's Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons Antonio Oburu Ondo on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week forum. Among the topics discussed at the meeting were the conditions for Russian oil and gas companies' participation in projects for exploring and extracting hydrocarbons in Equatorial Guinea," it said.

RosGeo has proposed conducting full-scale onshore-offshore transit zone geophysical marine research, including 2D and 3D gravimagnetic and seismic surveying and reprocessing archival seismic data, to Equatorial Guinea, where dozens of oil and gas fields have been discovered on the continental shelf.

The goal of the proposed work is to clarify the boundaries and thickness of Rio Muni's sedimentary basin, geologically align the water area's transit zone with deep-sea and onshore areas, and uncover and localize promising new hydrocarbon licensing facilities attractive for investment.

RosGeo has also proposed conducting surface exploration work for geological mapping at a scale of 1:50,000. It proposes conducting the work at the identified promising sites to create a modern highly informative basis for solid minerals exploration work.

As reported, RosGeo's subsidiaries Zarubezhgeologia and Yuzhmorgeologia have completed the first reconnaissance stage of seismic surveying in the transit zone and state mapping in the Rio Muni region, considered the most promising for mineral exploration in Equatorial Guinea.