EEZ Blocks

The Săo Tomé and Príncipe EEZ is delineated over an expanse of waters offshore Săo Tomé and Príncipe that covers approximately 160,000 square kilometers. In terms of hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation, the EEZ is a frontier region that sits south of the Niger Delta and west of the Gabon salt basin, retaining similarities with each of those prolific hydrocarbon regions. The regional seismic database comprises approximately 12,000 kilometers of seismic data. Interpretation of that seismic data shows numerous structures in the EEZ that have similar characteristics to known hydrocarbon accumulations in the area.

ERHC’s Rights in the EEZ

Under a 2001 agreement with the Government of Săo Tomé and Príncipe, ERHC was vested with the rights to participate in exploration and production activities in the EEZ. These rights included (a) the right to receive up to 100% of two blocks of ERHC’s choice and (b) the option to acquire up to a 15% paid working interest in each of two additional blocks of ERHC’s choice in the EEZ. In 2010, ERHC exercised its rights to receive up to 100% of two blocks of ERHC’s choice in the EEZ and was duly awarded Blocks 4 and 11 of the EEZ by the Government of STP.

EEZ Block 4 is 5,808 square kilometers, situated directly east of the island of Príncipe. The northeastern area near EEZ Block 4 contains a large graben structure, which is bound by the Kribi Fracture Zone.

In October 2015, ERHC announced with Kosmos Energy (NYE: KOS) a leading independent oil and gas company to transfer all ERHC’s rights under the EEZ Block 11 PSC to Kosmos Energy for value.

ERHC will decide whether to take up the option to acquire up to a 15% paid working interest in each of two additional blocks of the EEZ when called upon to exercise the option by the Government of STP in accordance with the agreements which provide for the rights and option.

More about ERHC Energy's operations: 

Republic of Kenya. ERHC has a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with the Government of the Republic of Kenya on Block 11A in northwestern Kenya. The Block is in the vicinity of Block 10BB in which significant oil discoveries have recently been announced. East Africa has emerged in recent years as one of the most exciting, new oil provinces in the world with the discovery of over 1 billion barrels of recoverable oil in Uganda’s Block 1 (EA1), the Ngamia-1 oil discovery in Kenya, which is estimated to be bigger than the Ugandan discovery, and large gas discoveries, including the recent Zafarani find, offshore Tanzania. For more on ERHC's operations in Kenya, click here

Republic of Chad. ERHC has interests in Block BDS 2008 in the Republic of Chad. The government of Chad formally awarded the company the oil block for exploration and development in June 2011. A Production Sharing Contract was signed in July 2011. Chad is one of sub-Saharan Africa’s significant crude oil producers with proven oil reserves of 1.5 billion barrels. It share borders with Nigeria, Cameroun and Sudan, which all produce oil as well. For more on ERHC's operations in Chad, click here.

The Joint Development Zone (JDZ). ERHC has interests in six of the nine Blocks in the Joint Development Zone (JDZ), a 34,548 sq km area approximately 200 km off the coastline of Nigeria and São Tomé & Principe that is adjacent to several large petroleum discovery areas. For more on ERHC's operations in the JDZ, click here.