West Africa: Bigger players circle MSGB blocks

China’s CNOOC has followed BP into Senegal’s offshore with a strategic tie-up with Australia’s Far. The Area of Mutual Interest agreement with CNOOC UK announced on 31 March sets out arrangements to partner in evaluating, bidding, negotiating and managing joint ventures on farm-in and open acreage opportunities for oil and gas licences for a period of two years. “In combination, Far and CNOOC UK bring together expertise of the Mauritania-Senegal- Guinea-Bissau (MSGB) offshore basin and the capabilities of an international deep-water operator,” Far said.