Partners in Oman’s onshore Block 12 (TotalEnergies 80%, PTTEP 20%) will relinquish the block back to the government, according to Thailand’s PTTEP. “The project completed the petroleum evaluation with no discovered prospect that can be commercially developed,” the firm says, adding “the relinquishment process to the Government is currently underway and completion is expected by the second quarter of 2025.”
The news comes after operator TotalEnergies recently revealed two exploration wells drilled in 2024 came up dry (MEES, 4 April). Block 12 is the only acreage Total operates in Oman, but the firm has minority shares in two other blocks operated by UK major Shell. Block 10 (Shell 53.45%, TotalEnergies 26.55%, OQ 20%) reached its full 500mn cfd capacity in the summer of 2024 and Total is using its equity volumes to develop its 1mn t/y Marsa LNG bunkering project in Sohar. In Block 11 (Shell 67.5%, Total 22.5%, OQEP 10%) it is awaiting a declaration of commerciality from a gas discovery at the Jaleel field (MEES, 23 May). (CONTINUED - 155 WORDS)