Maputo  - The government has given the state oil and gas company permission to explore the large gas reserve at the Buzi bloc in central Mozambique.

ENH (the National Hydrocarbonate Company) will be permitted to explore the 10 to 17 billion cubic feet of gas in the reserve and to seek potential partners to invest in the project, government spokesperson Luis Covane told reporters.

"It's confirmed that there is gas in the region. The concession period for the study phase is eight years and we will give the rights to explore and produce gas to ENH for a period of 25 years," Covane said.

Sasol, the South Africa petrochemical company, is already exploring the Pande and Temane gasfields, with reserves of about 3.7 trillion cubic feet. (dpa)