Ancap awards more blocks
International firms compete for Uruguayan blocks
The country’s frontier upstream continues to attract interest
Uruguayan regulator Ancap awarded two more offshore blocks at the end of 2022. A consortium comprising Shell and US independent APA (formerly Apache) secured the OFF-4 block, ahead of a bid from YPF—although the Argentine NOC did secure OFF-5. The Shell-APA joint venture has committed to carrying out extensive work on OFF-4, including 3D seismic acquisition, within its initial four-year exploration licence period. Similarly, YPF has four years to carry out a technical work programme on OFF-5. 6 – Blocks awarded in 2022 Earlier in 2022, AIM-listed independent Challenger was awarded OFF-1—which is adjacent to the OFF-4 block—while Shell took blocks OFF-2 and OFF-7, and APA secured OFF-
Also in this section
18 November 2025
The oil powerhouse will not just join the top five crude exporters in the coming years, it may be a model for how petrostates balance growth, policy and sustainability
18 November 2025
In the second of this two-part series, we look at Shell’s refocusing on returns and the speculation surrounding a potential takeover of BP
18 November 2025
For the first time in its illustrious history, the WPC Energy Congress will convene in Saudi Arabia, bringing together leaders, innovators, and changemakers to chart “Pathways to an Energy Future for All.”
18 November 2025
Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Dewhurst Award, the highest honour bestowed by WPC Energy. The Dewhurst Award celebrates exceptional leadership, groundbreaking innovation and a lifetime of significant achievements in sup-port of the development and advancement of the energy industry.
