Nicosia, Dec.5: The Ministry of Oil and Gas of Oman has recently awarded to Reliance Exploration and Production DMCC, a subsidiary of India's Reliance Industries, exploration block 41, which is next to Block 18 awarded to Reliance in March 2005.

The offshore Block 41 covers an area of 23,850 sq km and is off the coast of Muscat.

The two sides signed last month an exploration and production sharing agreement.

Reliance will integrate the operations of the two blocks to ensure better value for both partners.

Reliance has been quite active in the Middle East, especially in Oman and Yemen.

Recently it has signed two exploration and production sharing agreements in the Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq. (ANI)