On 10 October 2019 it was reported that the Senegal authorities have postponed the launch of the exploration acreage bid round from 9 October to 4 November.2019. The reason given was that some documents have to be finalized.  The Senegal authorities plan to launch a bidding round for exploration acreage in October 2019 at the âAfrica Oil & Power 2019â conference in Cape Town.  In early September 2018, Mamadou Faye, CEO of Petrosen said that a bid round for ten exploration blocks is planned to be launched in the first or second quarter of 2019. One of these blocks will be onshore. According to Faye, the new petroleum law should be ready by end-2018, ahead of the bid round. In February 2019, industry sources indicated that the new petroleum law which was approved by parliament in January 2019 will be signed into law only after presidential elections to be held in late February. This means that the launch of the bid round could be delayed to the second half of 2019.  In August 2018, industry observers indicated that the Senegal authorities may launch a bid round before the revision of the hydrocarbon legislation is completed. Some progress was also made on another front: to make available suitable acreage blocks for the bid round. According to list of valid permits published by Senegal, all onshore blocks are available except Fortesaâs acreage. In the offshore, the high potential Senegal Offshore Sud permit is now free. It used to be operated by Elenilto who did not meet work commitments. Most of the ulra deep water acreage currently held by Total under a non-exclusive technical evaluation permit would also be available. Petrosen has now an attractive portfolio of acreage blocks to be offered in a bid round. So far, however, no details on the planned bid round were announced.   As of February 2018 it appeared that there will be no bid round in Senegal any time soon. The revision of the hydrocarbon legislation takes longer than anticipated and there is no indication as to when it will be completed. The government also intended to get back acreage from small non-performing operators to offer it in the bid round. There also progress is slow. Senegalâs Energy Minister said that in the future the country would like to sign petroleum contracts with major oil companies rather than small players to ensure that hydrocarbon resources are effectively developed.  In early April 2016 it was reported that Petrosen intended to launch a bid round for ultra deep offshore acreage in 2017. The blocks to be offered have yet to be created, they will be adjacent to the west of the existing deep water blocks Saint-Louis Profond and Cayar Profond of Kosmos, Rufisque Offshore Profond and Senegal Offshore Sud Profond of African Petroleum.  The number of new ultra deep water acreage blocks has not yet been defined although some sources mentioned five blocks. They were to be delimited once 2D seismic data yet to be acquired had been evaluated in the second half of 2016.  The launch of the planned bid round also depends on the completion of the revision of the hydrocarbon legislation which was under way at the time. It was initially anticipated that the new law would be ready at the end of 2016.
Senegal, Rufisque Offshore Profond