TUNISIA/LIBYA: Joint Oil announces new Bid Round schedule for Zarat Development and Joint Oil Block Exploration Acreage
Joint Exploration, Exploitation, and Petroleum Services Company (Joint Oil), in partnership with global upstream advisor Moyes & Co., has officially announced details for its upcoming licensing round. The bid round targets significant offshore exploration and unitized development assets within the prolific Gabes-Tripoli Basin of the central Mediterranean, marking a major milestone for cross-border energy cooperation between Tunisia and Libya.
Dual Investment Packages
The licensing round presents international investors with two distinct commercial offerings:
- Exploration: Further exploration of the Joint Oil Block under an Exploration and Production Sharing Agreement (EPSA). The block covers 3,000 sq km in water depths of 80–120 meters and contains 6,500 km of 2D and 1,900 km of 3D seismic data. Legacy wells include Zohra-1, El Amal South 1, Besmah-1, El Amal North 1, and Zarat North 1.
- Development: Unitized development of the border-straddling Zarat Discovery. This package will be structured under a Development and Production Sharing Agreement (DPSA), Unitisation Agreement (UA), Unit Operating Agreement (UOA), and Operating Services Contract (OSC).
Key Schedule & Milestone Dates
Qualified offshore operators can request access to the Virtual Data Room (VDR) managed by Moyes & Co.
- Bidding Opens: September 7, 2026
- Bidding Closes: December 31, 2026
- Bid Submissions Due: January 8, 2027
- Winner Notification: February 26, 2027
- Formal Awards: April 30, 2027
Joint Oil will showcase the opportunities at the MMEA Scout Group meeting in London on September 9, 2026, and at the World Energy Summit on September 29–30, 2026.
Strategic Advantage
Situated in the Sabratha-Gabes Basin, the acreage benefits from proximity to established producing fields—such as Bouri, Al Jurf, and Bahr Essalam in Libya, alongside Ashtart, Didon, and Miskar in Tunisia. This provides future operators with access to existing regional infrastructure, export pathways, and operational synergies.
