On 3rd April 2017, the Georgian State Agency of Oil and Gas announced an open international tender for issuing a general license for oil and gas resource usage on V, VIA, VIB, VIC, VIIA, XIF, XIIIA, and XIV license blocks. As BM.GE was told at the Agency, the winning companies have already been revealed. Negotiations with consortium, which includes an engineering company West Gulf Petroleum, Ltd. and Chinese New Star, have been completed for the V block, area of which is 5043 km2 administratively covering Tsalenjikha, Mestia, Chkhorotsku, Martvili, Tsageri, Khoni, Senaki, Khobi, Zugdidi, Abasha, Samtredia, Lanchkhuti, Chokhatauri, Lentekhi municipalities and Poti City. The contract area of VIB block is 3005 km2 and administratively it covers Mabrolauri, Oni, Sachkhere, Chiatura, Tkibuli, Terjola, Zestaponi, Baghdati, Kharagauli, Kareli and Khashuri municipality areas. Regarding projects for both blocks, negotiations with the consortium of LLC Georgia Coalition Energy Limited Company and China New Star Energy (CNEC) have already been completed. According to the Agency, negotiations with the winner companies on agreements on share distribution of products have been competed and in compliance with the rules set by the Georgian legislation, the agreements with the agreed text have been sent to the Ministry of Justice of Georgia for legal conclusion.
