The Montenegrin economy ministry said it
has signed a contract with Norway's Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig for
consulting services in the negotiating process for the award of a concession for
offshore hydrocarbons production.
The total value of the 12-month
contract is 300,000 euro ($348,000), the contract posted on Friday on the
ministry's website indicated.
In December, the Montenegrin government
said that the negotiations with the bidders in the offshore oil and gas
exploration and production tender are expected to be completed by the end of
February at the latest.
In May, the economy ministry said bids in the
tender have been filed by three partnerships - Marathon Oil Corporation and OM, Eni S.p.A. and Novatek and Energean Oil & Gas and Mediterranean
Oil & Gas.
The decision on defining blocks for the award of concession
contracts for production of hydrocarbons includes 13 blocks covering 3,191 sq
km. Most of the area is part of the former Ulcinj block.