Afghanistan is seeking bidders for oil and gas exploration and production concessions in its Amu Darya Basin, the country's first move in four decades to open its hydrocarbon sector to international investment.
Wahidullah Shahrani, the Afghan minister of mines, told a conference in London on Monday Kabul was seeking "expressions of interest for contracts to explore, develop and produce hydrocarbons" in parts of northern Afghanistan that could contain more than 80 million barrels of oil.
One of the three blocks on offer contains the Angot oilfield, which currently produces oil, the ministry said.
"The tender has already attracted substantial international interest," Mr Shahrani said. "Afghanistan is an attractive market for the oil and gas sector, and we look forward to a successful bid round."
The oil ministry said companies and consortiums should submit expressions of interest no later than noon Kabul time on March 29.
"This is expected to be the first of several tenders for Afghanistan's oil and gas resources over the next few years," the ministry said. Bids are due in early June and contracts are expected to be awarded by the end of July.
The contracts on offer would be profit-sharing deals that allowed developers to recover their costs before paying royalties on oil and gas production to the government.
"At present, the priority for hydrocarbon exploration is northern Afghanistan because of its similar geology to known regions," the ministry said.
"The geology is similar to the vast hydrocarbon reservoirs of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan across the northern border."
The north of Afghanistan is also more secure than its southern provinces, which contain Taliban strongholds.
The US geological survey in 2006 estimated northern Afghanistan's undiscovered hydrocarbon resources at 1.6 billion barrels of oil, 16 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 500 million barrels of gas liquids.
In August, Afghanistan started pumping a modest 800 barrels per day of crude from the Angot field in the rugged northern province of Sar-i-Pul, representing the country's first oil production.
In a notice on its website, the ministry said it would host an information session in Kabul next Monday for local businesses interested in working with international oil and gas companies in the Amu Darya Basin. It predicted "many opportunities" for Afghan businesses to work with foreign partners in "various business sectors".
tcarlisle@thenational.ae
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years-of-age
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his/her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30-years-old and able to support the child financially
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- 600-seat auditorium
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Getting%20there%20
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Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Lampedusa: Gateway to Europe
Pietro Bartolo and Lidia Tilotta
Quercus
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2A)
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