CNOCC grants five exploration blocks and the population sees ships

By Estacio Valoi

From north to south Mozambique, in a dizzying descent in the race for mining exploration in Mozambique, from Cabo Delgado, Tete, Nampula, Sofala, Zambézia, Inhambane provinces and others where concessions over the last decades have been granted like mushrooms to multinationals linked to the main political party, FRELIMO, and other bandits benefit from billions of dollars, leaving nothing or almost nothing for local communities.

People and communities on their own land are being squeezed out in favour of a small elite and their multinational friends.

According to WEA on its one year Mozambique Licensing Alert! on China National Offshore Oil Corporation CNOOC International has entered the country with the award of 5 exploration blocks as part of the Sixth Licensing Round. The awards are for deepwater blocks A6-D, A6-E and A6-G in the Angoche Basin, and S6-A and S6-B in the Save Basin further south, acreage which has both shallow and deepwater. The company will hold 70-80% stakes and partner with Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos EP, the country’s NOC.

Regulator INP said CNOOC had committed to acquire at least 26,000 km² of 3D seismic and drill 4 exploration wells. The Angoche Basin has seen some exploration, most notably Eni’s unsuccessful Raia-1 well on A5-A in 2023. But the Save offshore is almost totally unexplored. The acreage awarded is next to adjacent to Sasol’s onshore Pande, Temane and Inhassoro fields. The Sixth Licensing Round was launched back in November 2021 with 16 blocks offered – the only other bid came from Eni for Block A6-C.

Welligence Energy AnalyticsWelligence Energy Analytics50,878

In an invitation from CONSULTEC dated 16 February 2026, ref. no. 156/C24-19/2026, addressed to several civil society organisations in Vilanculos, the subject of which is: Offshore 3D Seismic Research Project, in the Save Blocks (S6-A and S6-B) – Invitation to a Meeting to Present the Preliminary Report on the Environmental Pre-Feasibility Study and Scope Definition (EPDA).
In the invitation, Consultores Associados states that ‘CNOOC Moçambique, Lda. is promoting the Environmental Impact Assessment Process for the 3D Offshore Seismic Survey Project in the Save Blocks (S6-A and S6-B) in the Provinces of Inhambane and Sofala.’ And that, “it has been appointed to conduct the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process for the aforementioned project.

Although the consultant emphasises in its invitation that the process is one of Public Participation provided for in the Pre-Feasibility Study and Scope Definition (EPDA) phase, Consultec, representing CNOOC, hereby invites you to participate in the Public Consultation Meeting when questioned after it became apparent that representatives or members of local communities had not been invited to the meeting, which will be held on 6th March, from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Conference Room of the Berna Hotel.
It is illegal for Consultec to transfer its obligation to the local government

In an event ‘with the aim of presenting the EPDA report and gathering the main concerns and suggestions of the community, civil society and government institutions about the Project and the EPDA report and Terms of Reference for the preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP)’ without public access, this community, when asked if it had invited the communities, CONSULTEC replied, ‘We told the government to invite them.’ Local sources said.
According to the EIA Regulation, it is clear that it is the proponent’s obligation to use all appropriate means to ensure public participation. In addition, the Guidelines on public participation in the EIA require the proponent to ensure that at least 20% of the affected parties participate. (CJIM)