Sudan ready to offer Zarubezhneft new oil exploration blocks

MOSCOW. Aug 19 (Interfax) - Russia's Zarubezhneft could increase its presence in Sudan, where authorities are prepared to offer new blocks for oil exploration and production, Eltahir Mohamed, Director of Sudan's Oil Production Department, said at plenary session of the Russian-Sudanese intergovernmental commission.

"We discussed Zarubezhneft's proposal for investments in Sudan. We previously provided several blocks for development, and now we have added more, in regions with gas and oil potential. I think by October we will pass on the necessary information so that they can start looking at these areas," he said.

Dmitry Semyonov, head of the Russian Energy Ministry's International Cooperation Department, said the countries were thinking of expanding oil and cooperation through joint work in new areas.

"In the course of preparation, the number of oil blocks for development by our Zarubezhneft company, together with Sudan's Energy and Oil Ministry and state company Sudapec, was increased. We also agreed with companies to discuss expanding cooperation in the oil sector beyond just production, to look at oil recovery technologies, associated gas utilization, oil refining, petrochemicals and training," Semyonov said.

Zarubezhneft said in an in-house publication that it was considering several African countries as a region for the formation of a promising new oil and gas cluster. The company is negotiating with the governments of Congo, Sudan, South Sudan and Mozambique to identify investment opportunities and start operations in the medium term.