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Disposal of 20% of Gaz de France's rights in the Touat permit in Algeria for USD 93 million.
Gaz de France acquires offshore acreage in Mauritania.
Paris, November 8, 2005 - Gaz de France announces it has signed two agreements with the British firm Dana Petroleum.
These two transactions will allow Gaz de France to bolster its strategic development upstream and diversify its sources of supply.
Disposal of 20% of Gaz de France's rights in the Touat permit in AlgeriaGaz de France launched a tender in order to sell 20% of it interest in the Touat permit in Algeria. The Group decided to accept the bid submitted by the British firm Dana Petroleum. A binding agreement has just been signed with this firm for USD 93 million. This agreement is subject to the approval of Algerian authorities and will take effect retroactively on October 1. 2005.
Covering an area of 15,392 square kilometers, the Touat permit is located in the Sbaa basin in southwestern Algeria. Gaz de France acquired hydrocarbon prospecting and operating rights on this license in January 2003 and has become the operator with 75% of the project, in partnership with Sonatrach, the Algerian national utility, which holds the other 25%.
After the transaction with Dana Petroleum, Gaz de France will still hold 60% of the project. The positive results of the first phase of assessment, which lasted three years, led Sonatrach to agree to launch a second phase of exploration.
The partnership with Dana Petroleum will make it possible, together with Sonatrach, to develop a deposit that could provide new sources for Gaz de France's supply portfolio. The deposit will enable Algeria to have new major sources of natural gas as of 2010. Technical reserves are estimated at 75 billion m3.
Gaz de France acquires offshore acreage in Mauritania
Gaz de France and the British firm Dana Petroleum also signed an agreement to exchange exploration and production assets.
By this agreement, Gaz de France acquires an interest in three Mauritanian offshore exploration blocs (24% of bloc 1, 27.85% of bloc 7 and 17.5% of bloc 8). The Group has thus locked in a significant position in a region in which the considerable potential in terms of gas reserves offers sound prospects for development as of 2012/2014.
In return, Gaz de France sells Dana Petroleum equity interests in the British production fields of Johnston (22%) and Anglia (25%), as well as in the Egyptian exploration bloc of West El Burullus (30%). Gaz de France will keep 30% of Anglia and 70% of the Egyptian bloc after the exchange. The disposal in the British fields represents approximately 2% of the production of Gaz de France's Exploration and Production activities.
Through this agreement, subject to the approval of the relevant authorities, Gaz de France strengthens its strategic upstream integration, by affirming its position as a major player in an integrated natural gas export project based in Mauritania, targeting markets in Europe and North America.
The effective date of the deal will be July 1. 2005, except for the Egyptian bloc, which will be booked on September 15. 2005.
"This press release contains forward-looking statements based on estimates and forecasts of Gaz de France's management. Readers are informed that such statements, made as of data available today, are subject to risk and uncertainty factors. Therefore, actual results or events may differ from such forward-looking information and statements, which readers shall not consider as certain. Please not that Gaz de France disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.”
Press Contact:
Investor Relations:
Jérôme Chambin
Tel.: 33-1 47 54 24 35
Email: jerome.chambin@gazdefrance.com
Charles L. Ranunkel
Tel.: 33-1 47 54 79 04
Email: GDF-IR-TEAM@gazdefrance.com
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Group profile:
. Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, the Group joined the CAC 40 share index on September 1, 2005, and the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 on September 19, 2005.
. In 2004, Gaz de France recorded net sales of €18.3 billion. In the first half of 2005, Gaz de France generated net sales of €11.1 billion.
. The Group has more than 53,000 employees.
In Europe, at December 31, 2004, Gaz de France represented:
. The largest natural gas transmission network with more than 30,000 kilometres of gas mains in France,
. The 2nd largest supplier as far as its portfolio of end customers is concerned, boasting a total of approximately 12.3 million customers (industrial and residential customers), including nearly 10.9 million in France,
. The 2nd largest distribution network, with approximately 175,000 kilometres of transmission pipelines covering 76% of the French population,
· The 2nd largest operator of regasification terminals with total capacity in the region of 17 billion cubic metres,
· The 2nd largest operator of storage infrastructures with a capacity of some 9 billion cubic metres,
· The 3rd largest buyer of natural gas,
. A company doing business in more than 30 different countries.
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