据全球能源新闻网2019年6月30日休斯顿报道，索马里石油部表示，荷兰皇家壳牌公司和埃克森美孚公司正在寻求在这个东非国家在今年晚些时候举行新一轮石油区块招标之前重返索马里。
壳牌公司在一份声明中表示，由于“不可抗力”，壳牌公司和埃克森美孚公司在索马里的5个海上区块的油气勘探和开发作业在1990年暂停，但自那以来，壳牌公司和埃克森美孚公司仍一直在向索马里政府交区块的租金。
记者未能立即联系到埃克森美孚公司管理人士的置评。
索马里目前不生产任何石油，但由于早期地震数据显示这个东非国家海上可能有大量石油储量，因此石油生产可能改变索马里的经济。
索马里石油部说：“(一项)协议在2019年6月21日在阿姆斯特丹签署，解决了与区块租金和海上区块其他义务有关的问题。”
壳牌公司补充称，不管最近发展如何，不可抗力仍然存在。
各方还同意举行谈判，根据今年早些时候通过的新石油法案来转换旧合同。
索马里希望将15个海上区块的招标日期定在今年11月份。9月底或10月初，一场路演将在德克萨斯州休斯顿举行。
索马里还通过了一项收入分成协议与产油国分享收入，但迄今尚未决定索马里政府将在其分配的区块中保留多少份额。
李峻 编译自 全球能源新闻
原文如下：
Shell, Exxon Eye Somalia's Offshore
Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon Mobil are looking to return to Somalia ahead of an oil block bid round later this year, the East African country's oil ministry said.
The exploration and development of the five offshore blocks was suspended in 1990 under what is known as a "force majeure", but Shell and Exxon have accrued rentals to the government since then, Shell said in a statement.
Exxon officials were not immediately available for comment.
The country currently does not produce any oil but production could transform the economy as early stage seismic data has shown there could be significant oil reserves offshore.
"(An) agreement was signed in Amsterdam The force majeure remains in place, regardless of the recent development, Shell added.
The parties have also agreed to hold talks to convert their old contracts in line with the a new petroleum bill that was passed earlier this year.
Somalia hopes to allocate 15 offshore blocks with a potential bid date schedule for November. A roadshow is being organised in Houston, Texas in late September or early October.
Somalia has also passed a revenue sharing agreement, splitting revenue with oil producing states but has not yet decided