Communication from the French Government concerning 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(1)

(2002/C 228/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Notice regarding applications for exclusive licences to prospect for liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons, designated "Château-Landon licence", "Aufferville licence" and "Nemours licence"

By request of 30 May 2002, Vermilion Rep SA, with registered offices at Route de Pontenx, BP 5, F-40161 Parentis en Born, applied for an exclusive five-year licence, designated the "Château-Landon licence", to prospect for liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons in an area of approximately 1379 km2 forming part of the departments of Seine et Marne, Essonne and Loiret.

By request of 21 June 2002, Madison Energy France SCS, with registered offices at 13/15 boulevard de la Madeleine, F-75001 Paris, applied for an exclusive three-year licence, designated the "Aufferville licence", to prospect for liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons in an area of approximately 201 km2, in partial competition with the application for the Château-Landon licence, forming part of the departments of Seine et Marne and Loiret.

By request of 28 June 2002, Madison Energy France SCS, with registered offices at 13/15 boulevard de la Madeleine, F-75001 Paris, applied for an exclusive three-year licence, designated the "Nemours licence", to prospect for liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons in an area of approximately 200 km2, in partial competition with the application for the Château-Landon licence, forming part of the departments of Seine et Marne and Loiret.

The areas covered by these licences are contained within a perimeter made up of the meridian and parallel arcs successively joining the vertices defined below by their geographical coordinates, the original meridian being that of Paris:

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The perimeter of the Villemer Concession (21,55 km2) is excluded from this area:

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Vertex Ac = intersection of meridian 0,55 degrees E and the straight line between the tower in Arcis sur Aube (Aube) and the tower in Nemours (Seine et Marne).

Vertex Ad = intersection of parallel 53,65 degrees N (044 33 00 N) with the straight line between the tower in Arcis sur Aube (Aube) and the tower in Nemours (Seine et Marne).

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Vertex Ac to vertex Ad = straight line.

Interested companies may, within 90 days of the publication of this notice, submit a competing application in accordance with the procedure summarised in the notice regarding the granting of mining rights for hydrocarbons in France published in Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 of 30 December 1994, p. 11, and established by Decree 95-427 of 19 April 1995 regarding mining rights (Journal officiel de la République française of 22 April 1995).

Further information can be obtained from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Finance and Industry (Directorate-General for Energy and Raw Materials, Directorate for Energy and Mineral Resources, Bureau of Mining Legislation), 61, Boulevard Vincent-Auriol, Télédoc 133, F-75703 Paris Cedex 13 (tel. (33-1) 44 97 02 30, fax (33-1) 44 97 05 70).

(1) OJ L 164, 30.6.1994, p. 3.