HIBAPRESS – Mohammed Zeriuoh
The Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development has decided to extend the first supplementary research period for the British company Predator Oil & Gas, which holds exploration licenses in the Guelmim region, for an additional eight months, ending on November 5, 2026, according to a decision published in the Official Gazette. This comes at a time when the company is awaiting the results of technical tests related to the MOU-6 well, which is relied upon to determine the commercial viability of the natural gas resources in the region.
This extension comes at a crucial stage of the exploration program, after the drilling of the aforementioned well began on September 19, 2026, as part of an operation that, according to the announced timeline, is expected to take about twenty days. The final test results have not yet been announced, while the focus is on the well's ability, after technical modifications, to achieve a stable gas flow that would allow the transition from the research phase to the prospects of commercial exploitation.
Estimates from an independent technical report indicate that the recoverable target resources could reach about two billion cubic meters of gas, within the company's estimated share of 75 percent. However, reaching these quantities remains contingent on what field tests reveal and their confirmation of the existence of producible reserves under favorable economic and technical conditions.
The project's stakes are not limited to the indicators related to the MOU-6 well, as the company looks forward to evaluating other geological potentials in the region, including thermogenic gas at depth, as well as biogenic gas resources, which could open additional avenues for valorization, especially in light of industrial demand for energy sources. This trend recalls experiences of gas exploitation in the Gharb region, where compressed natural gas is used in applications related to industrial needs.
If the test results are positive and prove the economic viability of the project, the company may proceed to announce the commercial nature of the discovery and apply for an exploitation concession, while exploring options to valorize its exploration investments through an agreement to transfer the project or establish a partnership with an undisclosed investor. These developments coincide with other stakes in developing gas production in Morocco, including the Tendrara project, which aims, in its first phase, to market 100 million cubic meters per year of liquefied natural gas, thus reinforcing aspirations to develop local resources and diversify energy supply sources.
