Malaysia’s Petronas gets new Sudan petroleum block

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Reuters) – Malaysia’s national oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd [PETR.UL] said on Friday it has been awarded a new petroleum exploration block in Sudan, its eighth in that country.

Petronas will hold a 77 percent interest in the block, known as Block 8, with 15 percent going to Sudan’s Sudapet and the rest to High Tech Group, a Sudanese firm, Petronas said in a statement.

The block, covering an area of 65,856 sq kilometres, is located within the Blue Nile Basin, northeast of Sudan’s Melut Basin. In Africa, Petronas’ operations cover countries such as South Africa, Egypt, Chad, Angola, Morocco and Cameroon.