Australia-based GB Energy has received a preliminary offer from the Republic of Gambia to explore two offshore oil and gas blocks covering a total area of 2500 square kilometres.

Blocks A2 and A5 are located in 200 to 700 metres of water within the Mauritiania-Senegal-Gambia-Guinea-Bissau-Conakry (MSGBC) basin off West Africa.

The award of the blocks is pending the finalisation of licence agreements and the submission of an environmental impact assessment, which has been commissioned and is due for completion at the end of this month.