Negotiation of blocks V and VII of Talara includes four operators in the area

Perupetro confirmed the interest of more than 10 companies that were qualified to participate in the Selection Process by Call to award the License Contracts for the Exploitation of Hydrocarbons in Blocks V and VII of Talara, whose contracts end, respectively, on days 5 and October 21 next.

According to the new schedule, last Monday, July 3, the presentation stage of the letters of interest -which began on May 18- before the state agency in charge of promoting, negotiating, signing and supervising contracts for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in Peru.

The Republic was able to learn, according to sources in the sector, that 5 of the companies that presented themselves were CNPCfrom Block X (but which could go through its subsidiary Sapet, from Block VI/VII); Sapfrom Lot Z-2B; Unna Energy, from Lot V; and Olympic, from Lot XIII. They are joined by the Egyptian Cheironwhich recently lost its race for Lot 8 of Loreto against Petrotal.

However, the president of Perupetro, Isabel Tafur, recently reported that companies with open proceedings against the Peruvian State cannot participate in a new tender or direct negotiation of hydrocarbons, although this rule does not apply to shareholders.

This is the case of CNPC, a 45% shareholder of Pluspetrol Norte, a company involved in an international arbitration process (together with Posco Daewo, KNOC and SK Energy) after abandoning the aforementioned lot in the jungle with environmental liabilities in April 2020.

“Technically, CNPC has a large percentage of PPN. In reality, as well as all those who have been, they should not participate at this time for this tender for lots V and VII, they should be disqualified,” the source said.

The next steps to consummate the bidding process for lots V and VII before Perupetro are the presentation and opening of packages, and the delivery of the good pro in a public act, next Thursday, July 13.

The average production of Block VII (which will be separated from Block VI in this new selection process) was 1,045 barrels per day (bpd) in 2022. For its part, Block V yielded 105 bpd in the same period.