BP takes four Madagascar blocks

In a return to pure exploration for the UK major, BP has quietly taken 100% in four production-sharing contracts (PSCs) covering 45,000km2 offshore north-west Madagascar.The four blocks in the Majunga Basin, Ampasindava, Cap St André and Majunga 1 and 2 were previously held by ExxonMobil as three PSCs. ExxonMobil had planned a deep-water well on the Sifaka prospect on the Ampasindava Block, but drilling was repeatedly postponed amid the island’s political crisis.