Morocco: Eni becomes major operator of Rabat Deep Offshore
The Moroccan Authorities have greenlighted the farm-out deal between Chariot Oil and Gas and the Italian Eni Group, that will become a 40 percent stakeholder of the exploration permits in the Rabat Deep Offshore I-IV area and the major operator of a still unexplored lot. It is a 10,780 square kilometres area, with water depth ranging from 150 to 3,500 metres, considered to be particularly promising due to recent offshore discoveries, off the North African coast. Eni will operate in partnership with the Australian firm Woodside (25 percent), the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (25 percent) and the same Chariot, which will retain a 10 percent equity interest. Drilling operations are due to begin in 2018, once the environmental impact analysis and the security operations in the area are completed.
