Total gains deepwater block off Mauritania

Offshore staff

PARIS – Total has signed two exploration licenses with the Mauritanian government.

These give the company a 90% operating interest in ultra-deep offshore block C9, and block Ta 29 onshore in the Taoudeni basin. Mauritania’s national oil company SMH will hold the remaining 10%.

Block C 9, 140 km offshore western Mauritania, covers 10,000 sq km (3,861 sq mi), in water depths ranging from 2,500-3,000 m (8,202-9,842 ft).

Total plans seismic acquisition under the first exploration phase.

“With this ultra-deep offshore award, we are entering into a high-potential, frontier play, known as the abrupt margin, in which major discoveries have been made recently, like in French Guyana,” said Marc Blaizot, Total's Senior VP, Exploration.

01/06/2012