Morocco’s government formalised a 12-month extension for offshore exploration under the Rissana Offshore licence
The Moroccan government formalised this summer the extension for 12 months of the initial exploration period for the five offshore blocks that make up the Rissana Offshore licence. The joint decree, signed by the Minister for Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leïla Benali, and the head of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, ratifies the third contractual amendment agreed between the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) and the British company Chariot, which will continue to run the project’s executive management.
ONHYM’s technical assessment highlights Morocco’s gas outlook
ONHYM technicians provide a detailed view of Morocco’s offshore gas landscape, marked by consolidated production areas, major projects under development, and a potential that remains largely unexplored. From the Gharb basin to the Essaouira basin—including the strategic Tendrara project and Atlantic offshore prospects—Morocco is refining its gas exploration strategy. The ONHYM General Director also addresses stakeholders, ongoing programmes, licences under negotiation, and progress on the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline, including a branch in the Canary Islands expected to strengthen regional energy security.
Zag-Bas Drâa remains largely unexplored, with new seismic work
The Palaeozoic Zag-Bas Drâa basin remains largely unexplored in terms of hydrocarbons. A recent 2D seismic study covering 1,223 square kilometres, carried out by ONHYM between 2021 and 2022 and supplemented by several geological studies, has improved understanding of the basin’s structure and identified promising indicators that confirm its potential—opening the door to new, deeper exploration opportunities for ONHYM and its potential partners in the area. Offshore in the Atlantic, near Tangier-Larache, a discovery in Lixus permits by the British company Chariot is currently in the phase of detailed study to refine estimates of gas resources.
Other offshore areas show non-commercial finds and promising source rocks
In other locations, wells drilled on the Atlantic continental shelf have revealed non-commercial hydrocarbon discoveries, as well as good-quality source rocks along Morocco’s Atlantic margin, particularly in the offshore Agadir-Tarfaya segment (heavy and light oil accumulations and gas indications) and in the Boujdour basin (gas and condensate).
Regulatory adjustment shifts timelines but does not include drilling or commercial declarations
The regulatory adjustment adds one year to the original exploration timetable and proportionally reduces the duration of the second supplementary phase, recalibrating the minimum operating commitments required of the consortium. The Rissana concession, granted in early 2022, covers an area of 8,489 square kilometres surrounding the Lixus licence, where the Anchois gas field is located. After the exit of the Energean company in May 2025, Chariot regained the operator status with 75% of the stake through its subsidiaries, while the state public body ONHYM retains the remaining 25%.
Independent assessments estimate prospectivity above 7 trillion cubic feet
The geological interest in the perimeter lies in its potential for undeveloped resources. According to independent assessments prepared by the U.S. consultancy Netherland Sewell & Associates, prospects outlined through 3D seismic are estimated to hold a potential of more than 7 trillion cubic feet of prospective resources. Among the identified targets is the Beluga structure, to which the surveys attribute potential of up to 550 million barrels in a petroleum scenario.
Chariot links further drilling to new industrial and financial partners
Despite the rescheduling of the administrative timeline, the agreement does not include the start of drilling work or the declaration of commercial discoveries. Chariot has made the execution of future drilling campaigns at the Beluga and Emissole prospects conditional on the entry of new industrial and financial partners that would take on the high cost of offshore operations in Atlantic waters.
The story How Morocco is handling oil exploration near the Canary Islands first appeared on canarymaritime.com.
