The Government of Sri Lanka, through the Petroleum Development Authority of Sri Lanka (PDASL), has officially opened the Sri Lanka Licensing Round 2026 (SL2026-01), offering four offshore exploration blocks in the Mannar Basin to qualified international energy companies.

The licensing round, which opened on August 25, offers a combined 33,964 square kilometres of acreage across four blocks: 2026-MB-01, 2026-MB-02, 2026-MB-03 and 2026-MB-04.

The blocks span water depths of approximately 100 metres to 3,000 metres, providing exploration opportunities across a substantial area of the Mannar Basin.

The basin is central to Sri Lanka’s upstream investment strategy. Previous exploration has established the presence of a working petroleum system and resulted in gas and condensate discoveries, while large areas remain comparatively underexplored.

The government said the available geological and geophysical data will allow prospective investors to conduct detailed technical assessments of the acreage.

Anura Karunathilaka, Minister of Energy, said: “The Sri Lanka Licensing Round 2026 marks an important step in the development of our country’s energy resources. We are opening four significant exploration blocks in the Mannar Basin and invite experienced international energy companies to evaluate this opportunity and work with Sri Lanka as long-term partners in the responsible development of our natural resources.”

The licensing round follows reforms to Sri Lanka’s upstream petroleum sector under the Petroleum Resources Act, No. 21 of 2021, which established PDASL as the country’s upstream petroleum regulator and strengthened the institutional framework for petroleum exploration and development.

Dr Neil DeSilva, Director General of PDASL, said: “Previous exploration has demonstrated the presence of a working petroleum system in the Mannar Basin. The combination of substantial available acreage, technical information and Sri Lanka’s strengthened regulatory framework provides international explorers with a compelling opportunity to take a fresh look at the basin.”

Bid documents were issued on August 25, while the Data Room will become available from September 1.

Qualified participants will have access to licensing information, block details, geological and geophysical data, technical material and participation requirements, as well as opportunities for direct engagement with PDASL.

The government will also promote the round through an international investor roadshow. The programme will begin at the World Energies Summit in London on September 29–30, followed by a virtual investor briefing on October 21 and participation in the Asia Petroleum Geoscience Conference & Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur on November 16–17.

Successful bidders will subsequently be notified and Petroleum Resource Agreements signed following the formal evaluation and award process.