Artumas starts drilling in onshore Mozambique block

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Canada's Artumas Group Inc said drilling had started in Mozambique's onshore Rovuma Block, operated by U.S. producer Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.

The Oslo-listed company said in a statement posted on its website on Friday that drilling had started on October 11 at the Mecupa-1 well, the first well in the Rovuma basin in northern Mozambique since 1986.

The company said details would not be released until the drilling and technical studies had been completed.

Artumas also said a deep-water drill ship was expected to arrive in Mozambique in late November and to start the first of four planned deep-water wells the following month.

Artumas said in September it planned to transfer part of its stakes in the Rovuma blocks and its Mnazi Bay block in neighbouring Tanzania to France's Maurel & Prom and Britain's Cove Energy.