Ten new licences planned for dormant Zambian blocks


Zambia plans to revoke and reissue petroleum exploration licences that have lain dormant since they were granted in 2010. Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development permanent secretary Victor Mutambo said bidders had been selected for ten blocks to be relicensed later this month. He said exploration had stalled as most of the companies granted licences lacked the necessary skills and were hoping to sell the blocks on at a profit. “To some, we have already issued default notices because, if you hold a licence and you do not do anything, it means speculative tendencies and, going forward, we just have to cancel these licences and readvertise them,” Mutambo told African Energy.