With the contract – which represents part of efforts by Mauritania to bring in new investors and global energy companies to drive the growth of the country’s hydrocarbon sector – Shell now owns a 75% stake in the block while the Mauritanian government owns a 25% share.
Block C2 lies south of Block C10 where Shell is already conducting exploration activities, as well as east of Block C8 where sizeable discoveries including bp’s BirAllah and Neptune Energy’s Orca gas fields were made.
The signing of the exploration and production contract comes a week after Mauritania’s Cabinet approved the deal.
