Croatia is expected to get at least ten bids in the first licensing round of an
offshore oil and gas tender, local media reported on Monday.
The bidding
deadline in the tender, launched in April, expires at 1400 Zagreb time on
Monday.
Bids are expected to be filed by ExxonMobil, Chevron, Total, Enel
and Croatia's INA alongside some other U.S. companies, news daily Vecernji List
reported, quoting unnamed sources close to some of the biggest oil
majors.
According to the daily, the potential Russian contenders have
instead opted to bid in the onshore oil and gas exploration tender that Croatia
called in July.
In the first offshore licensing round, Croatia should
secure investors for 10 of the tendered 29 blocks in the Adriatic Sea, Vecernji
List said, adding that blocks in the southern and middle parts of Croatia's
continental shelf drew the highest interest.
The 29 blocks on offer cover
approximately 36,823 square kilometres (sq km), ranging in size between 1,000
and 1,600 sq km each.
The country's economy ministry said in a statement
on Monday that the relevant contracts with the investors are expected to be
signed in the first quarter of 2015.
According to Vecernji, the
assessment of the received bids should be completed by November 30 with
production on the awarded blocks seen starting from 2019. A second offshore
licensing round is expected to be launched in March, the newspaper
added.