The data provided by the Angolan executive deals with the so-called zone of common interest (ZIC), which is shared by both African states in the lower Congo basin.
As explained by the Secretary of State for Oil and Gas, José Barroso, the contribution to the DRC will help equalize knowledge about the area in question and will facilitate talks in order to establish an agreement on joint exploitation.
During three days of technical discussions in Luanda, the two teams reached a prior agreement on the distribution of income, the definition of the contractor group, the costs of investigation, the fiscal and legal legislation to be applied and the leadership in the negotiations.
According to the source, both parties agreed that the US oil company Chevron, operator of block 14, should lead the contracting group, as the company provided the history and analysis of the potential of the ZIC.
The business director of the National Agency for Oil, Gas and Biofuels of Angola, Hermenegildo Buila, considered that the meeting was fruitful, as they reached “a platform of understanding on important issues.”
In this sense, he distinguished the exchange of information, the creation of conditions for the negotiation with the contractor group and the preparation of the final report of the technical team.
“All the work went perfectly,” agreed the director of the cabinet of the DRC Hydrocarbons Minister, Augustin Nkuba.
Finally, he commented, we will be able to complete this negotiation process on the ZIC that began in 2007, and then move on to the decisive part, which will be the exploration and production of the area.
acl/mjm
