In early-June 2020, state company ANCAP indicated that offers from Kosmos Energy on two adjacent offshore blocks OFF-2 and OFF-3 have been approved, although the signing of the corresponding contracts will continue to be delayed due to the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The offers were submitted by Kosmos as part of the ongoing Uruguay Open Round back in October 2019. For each block, the company's proposed commitments include geologic and prospect evaluation, 3D gravimetry and magnetometry work, licensing of existing multiclient geophysical/geological data, along with new 3D seismic acquisition (5,900 sq km for OFF-2 and 5,100 sq km for OFF-3). Total investment cost is expected to be USD 60.82 million and USD 52.82 million for OFF-2 and OFF-3, respectively.  The offshore blocks of OFF-2 and OFF-3 cover 11,151 sq km and 13,265 sq km of areas, respectively, in Pelotas Basin with water depths ranging from 50 m to over 1,000 m.   OFF-2 block is situated next to OFF-1 block that includes a couple of plugged & abandoned wells drilled by Chevron in 1976. In addition, both OFF-2 and OFF-3 are adjacent to OFF-6 block that includes the recently drilled Raya 1 well that was P&Aâd by Total in 2016.  Background InformationÂ   ANCAP launched a new biannual open round process called Uruguay Open Round with six blocks offshore and five blocks onshore in May 2019. In addition to areas that were previously offered in the last Uruguay Round 3 offshore round in 2018, the new licensing round also offers parcels that cover several recently relinquished offshore blocks in the south, along with onshore blocks in the north which cover areas that previously have been offered in their own open round process since 2014.
Uruguay (Pelotas B.) OFF-2 op. by KOSMOS EN (100%) Kosmos (100%) secured approval for the award of blocks OFF-2 (11 151kmÂ²) and OFF-3 (13 265kmÂ²).