Notice of the areas available for the granting of licences for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons on the mainland
Date: 2025-09-22
Institutions: Croatia
Subjects: Croatia, extraction of oil, hydrocarbon, petroleum exploration, public contract, regions of Croatia, security of supply








C_202505132EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/5132


22.9.2025






Notice of the areas available for the granting of licences for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons on the mainland
(C/2025/5132)

Pursuant to Article 20 of the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Exploitation Act (Narodne novine (NN; Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia) Nos 52/18, 52/19 and 30/21), the Ministry of the Economy, on behalf of the Republic of Croatia, hereby publishes the following
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 on the mainland.
1.   INFORMATION REGARDING EXPLORATION BLOCKS
The areas for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons on the mainland for which hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation licences are available are:






1.


Exploration block SZH-01










2.


Exploration block DR-02/2










3.


Exploration block SA-10/1




Maps and coordinates of the exploration blocks are provided in the tender documentation.
The exploration blocks for which exploration and exploitation licences are available are areas relinquished by investors in the process of exploration for hydrocarbons in accordance with Article 36 Hydrocarbon Exploration and Exploitation Act.
2.   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) 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 best 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 another country when carrying out 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.
3.   PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING BIDS
Bids are to be submitted in accordance with the tender documentation published on the official website of the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency –www.azu.hr – and submitted to the Hydrocarbon Agency in accordance with the provisions of the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Exploitation Act and the tender documentation.
All other relevant information and notices can be found on the Hydrocarbons Agency website – www.azu.hr.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/5132/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)