Exxon Mobil, Eni and Sasol have won bids in Mozambique and off its Indian Ocean coastline to explore new blocks for fossil fuels.

The bids were won at the Mozambique’s fifth oil and gas round organized by the Institute of National Petroleum (INP). It allows for the exploration of a total of 15 blocks in 74 259 km².

The blocks include three new areas of the northern Rovuma Basin where Eni and Anadarko Petroleum are currently developing multi-billion dollar LNG export projects.

Officials in Mozambique had anticipated that $30 billion are to be initially injected in the natural gas sector to create a 20 million tons/yr of LNG output capacity. First exports are to begin in 2018.

The country however hopes that revenue from its large natural gas deposits as well as its fledging coal mining industry will help its emergence from years of poverty and reliance on aid, IOL Business news reports.