21 July 2012, Sweetcrude, FREETOWN – THE Sierra Leonean government has provisionally awarded contracts to US firms, Chevron Sahara and Noble Energy, and nine other companies for exploration of offshore eight offshore blocks.
Tullow Oil’s discovery of hydrocarbons in Ghana has brought about increased interest in West Africa, including Sierra Leone, where there is no discovery yet.
Noble Energy, Chevron Sahara and Odye together won two blocks and will join companies like Canada-based Talisman Energy and Russia’s Lukoil already present in the country.
A government statement listed other successful companies as: African Petroleum Corporation, Kosmos, Elinilto, Signet Petroleum, Minexco, Masters Energy, GNBH Sierra Leone Exploration and Vadara Petroleum and Hydrocarbons.
The government statement said 59 applications were received for the blocks that formed part of the West African country’s third bid round.
