China has been in Mauritatia since late 2006.

Chinese national oil firm prospecting for onshore oil in Mauritania

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October 16, 2006
Agence France Presse


NOUAKCHOTT, Oct 16, 2006 (AFP) – The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) begun Monday drilling the first onshore oil well in Mauritania Monday, the country's official news agency AMI.

Drilling of the 3,800 meter deep (12,400 feet) wells dubbed "Heron 1" was launched following the discovery by the CNPC late 2005 of "encouraging" seismic signs at the country's coastal basins, 140 kilometers (85 miles) south of Nouakchott.

The exploration deal was signed between the CNPC and the Mauritanian government in March last year.

According to Aly Ould Sidi Mohamed, the Mauritanian minister of oil, this is the first onshore drilling in Mauritania, which began producing oil from its offshore field at Chinguetti in February this year.

At a formal ceremony to kick off the drilling boring, Ould Sidi Mohamed said prospecting "can open great development prospects for the country in the event of oil or gas discoveries".

The CNPC has also three other prospecting permits in the country.

Oil-hungry China was the first customer of Mauritania's offshore oil produced by the Australian firm Woodside, last March, just a month after it started pumping crude oil.

Mauritania began at the end of February to produce crude oil on its Chinguetti oil fields, 80 kilometres (50 miles), off the capital Nouakchott, and awaits the exploitation of three other offshore fields in the coming years.

As Africa's newest oil producer, Mauritania hopes to boost its economic growth by up to 20 percent from the oil revenues.