On 20 December 2017, the ANP approved the final step in a complex transaction whereby Statoil is now the operator and 100% working interest owner of the BM-ES-040 contract, ES-M-529 block and the BM-ES-041 contract, ES-M-531 block after acquiring a 50% working interest (WI) from former partner Perenco. Â Â The deal was reported originally in early 2017 after a four step process led to Statoil being operator with 50% WI and Perenco the lone partner with 50% WI.Â  In July 2017 the operator was granted second extension of the PAD associated with the two contracts. On 16 December 2016, the ANP approved a complex transaction whereby Statoil is now the operator of the BM-ES-040 contract, ES-M-529 block and the BM-ES-041 contract, ES-M-531 block after acquiring a 50% working interest (WI) part of it from former operator and now 50% partner Perenco.Â  The transaction involved a four stage process for unknown reasons.Â  First Perenco farmed-out 30% WI and operations to Statoil, giving Statoil as operator 30% WI OGX with 50%, and Perenco and Sinochem each with 10% WI.Â  The second stage was Perenco assuming 40% WI of the OGX 50% WI and Sinochem assuming 10% with Statoil with 30%, Perenco with 50%, and Sinochem with 20%.Â  The third stage was Perenco assuming the 20% WI of Sinochem with Sinochem out and resulting in Statoil the operator with 30% WI and Perenco with 70% WI.Â  The final stage of the transaction was the acquisition by Statoil of 50% WI from Perenco resulting in the current approved working interest breakdown of Statoil as operator with 50% WI and Perenco with 50%.Â  There was no time-frame given by the ANP for when the separate transactions occurred nor has there been a report regarding the transaction value.Â  Both blocks are involved in the discovery evaluation plan (PAD) PA_1PERN4ESS_BM-ES-40, Dende prospect oil and gas discovery.Â   On 5 July 2017, the ANP approved a second request by Statoil, operator of the BM-ES-040 contract, ES-M-529 block and the BM-ES-041 contract, ES-M-531 block to modify the discovery evaluation plan (PAD) PA_1PERN4ESS_BM-ES-40, Dende prospect oil and gas discovery associated with the contracts.Â Â  The ANP modified the decision point date for stage 1 of the PAD from 16 March 2017 to 16 March 2018.Â  The PAD still has a final expiry date of 31 December 2019 if all commitments are met. On 15 February 2017, the ANP approved a request by Statoil, operator of the BM-ES-040 contract, ES-M-529 block and the BM-ES-041 contract, ES-M-531 block to modify the discovery evaluation plan (PAD) PA_1PERN4ESS_BM-ES-40, Dende prospect oil and gas discovery associated with the contracts.Â Â  The ANP modified the decision point date for stage 1 of the PAD from 31 December 2016 to 16 March 2017.Â  The PAD still has a final expiry date of 31 December 2019 if all commitments are met. On 8 July 2015, the ANP approved Perencoâs modified discovery evaluation plan (PAD) submitted for the PA_1PERN4ESS_ES-M-529 evaluation area that includes portions of the BM-ES-040 Contract, ES-M-529 block and BM-ES-041 Contract, ES-M-531 block. Both blocks were also partially relinquished.Â  The PAD approval is the result of the evaluation of the 1-DENDE-001-ESS (1-PERN-004-ESS) new-field wildcat (NFW) suspended with shows on 13 August 2013.Â  The partners have firm and contingent commitments for the PAD. They include acquiring new 3D Broadseis seismic, drilling up to two appraisal wells and conducting cased hole production tests.Â  If all of the firm and contingent commitments are carried out the PAD will have a final expiry of 31 December 2019. 
Statoil is now the operator and 100% WI owner of the BM-ES-040 contract, ES-M-529 block and the BM-ES-041 contract, ES-M-531 block after acquiring a 50% WI from former partner Perenco.  