NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The Cypriot government has licensed a consortium made up of France’s Total and Italy’s Eni to search for hydrocarbons in one more area in waters where the east Mediterranean island nation has exclusive economic rights.
Cyprus Energy Minister Georgios Lakkotrypis said Tuesday that the two oil companies will each have 50% rights to Block 7, one of 13 areas composing the country’s exclusive economic zone off its south coast.
Lakkotrypis says the government has also approved Total’s participation in four other blocks where Eni had a gas search license.
The two companies are now partners in seven blocks.
A partnership between ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum, as well as a consortium composed of Texas-based Noble Energy, Israel’s Delek and Dutch Shell, have licenses for a block each.
