Notice of a tender procedure for the granting of licences for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the Dinaric area

(2019/C 197/04)

The Government of the Republic of Croatia invites all interested persons to submit bids to obtain a licence for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in respect of the available exploration blocks in the Dinaric area.

The tender documentation and all information and notices relating to the procedure is published on the official websites of the Ministry of the Protection of the Environment and Energy – www.mzoe.hr and the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency – www.azu.hr

1. BASIC INFORMATION REGARDING LICENCES

Licences for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons are issued in respect of exploration blocks in the Dinaric area. Licences for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons grant investors the right to carry out exploration of hydrocarbons in a specific exploration block and to enter into contracts for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons, as well as the direct award of a hydrocarbon extraction licence, provided that they fulfil all the conditions laid down in the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Exploitation Act.

Licences for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons will be granted to successful bidders for a maximum period of thirty (30) years, which includes both the exploration period and the exploitation period, starting on the date that the contract enters into force.

As per the terms of the licence, investors will sign a contract with the Government of Croatia for the exploration of hydrocarbons and the sharing of exploitation benefits within six (6) months from the date of issue of the licence for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons.

2. INFORMATION REGARDING EXPLORATION BLOCKS

The tender procedure for licences for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the Dinaric area will be carried out in respect of four exploration blocks:

1. Exploration block Dinaridi-13 (DI-13)

2. Exploration block Dinaridi-14 (DI-14)

3. Exploration block Dinaridi-15 (DI-15)

4. Exploration block Dinaridi-16 (DI-16)

Maps and coordinates of the exploration blocks are provided in the tender documentation.

3. INDICATIVE DATE/DEADLINE FOR GRANTING LICENCES

Bids must be submitted by 10 September 2019 and the indicative deadline for granting licences is December 2019.

4. CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF BIDDERS

Under Article 2(2) of Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons (OJ L 164, 30.6.1994, p. 3) in relation to national security and in accordance with Article 19 of the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Exploitation Act, the criteria to be taken into consideration in order to select the most advantageous bidder are:

1. the technical, financial and professional competence of the bidder;

2. how the bidder intends to carry out the activities covered by the licence for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons;

3. the overall quality of the bid submitted;

4. the financial conditions offered by the bidder in exchange for the licence for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons; and

5. any lack of efficiency or responsibility in any form displayed by the bidder in other countries and in previous activities covered by a licence for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons.

Another criterion for selecting the bidder is the fee for entering into the contract for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons, the minimum amount of which is laid down in the decree referred to in Article 51 of the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Exploitation Act.

If, following an evaluation on the basis of the criteria under the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Exploitation Act, two or more bids are of equal merit, other relevant, objective and non-discriminatory criteria will be taken into account for the final decision.