Three companies will share six licences to explore for oil and gas in Croatia's northern Drava river basin and in the east of the country, the Zagreb government said on its website on Tuesday, ahead of a cabinet session to confirm the decision.

The government will award four licences to Vermilion Zagreb Exploration, a local unit of Canada-based energy group Vermilion, at Wednesday's session. One licence will go to INA , co-owned by Croatia and Hungary's MOL, and one to Nigeria-based Oando, the government said. The tender comprised six blocks whose sizes vary between 2,100 and 2,600 sq kms.

In January, Croatia awarded 10 offshore oil and gas exploration licences for drilling in the Adriatic. Seven went to a consortium of Houston-based Marathon Oil and Austria's OMV, two to INA and one to a consortium of Italy's ENI and London-based Medoilgas.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency