Norwegian oil group Statoil is due in the next few days to begin test drilling for oil and gas in the Area 2 and 4 sea blocks in the Rovuma basin, in Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique, according to daily newspaper Notícias.

The newspaper said that if the first results are positive, the Norwegian group may change its schedule, which as it stands outlines drilling three test wells by the beginning of 2014.

The group’s Mozambican subsidiary, Statoil and Gas Mozambique, operates in Areas 2 and 5 in the Rovuma basin, under the terms of a concession contract signed with the Mozambican government in 2006, with a lifetime of 8 years, based on which the Norwegian group plans to invest US$200 million.

Areas 2 and 5 cover over 8,000 square kilometres and include the districts of Macomia, Quissanga and Ibo and small part of Metuge and the municipality of Pemba.

As well as Statoil, group’s such as Malaysia’s Petronas, US company Anadarko Petroleum and Italy’s ENI operate in the Rovuma sedimentary basin. (macauhub)