In an effort to reinvigorate its struggling oil and gas industry, Tunisia late last month awarded six onshore and offshore ‘prospection permits’ to three foreign companies that will spend around $13mn initially and up to $131.5mn if the blocks are upgraded to ‘exploration permits.’

Industry Minister Slim Feriani is upbeat. “For the first time this decade, we will see an increase in the total number of oil and gas permits this year. A number that went down from 52 permits in 2010 to only 21 in 2018,” he said at the awards ceremony on 28 June. (CONTINUED - 675 WORDS)