Shell and the Natural Resource Authority NRA, on behalf of the Jordanian Government, signed a Memorandum of Understanding MoU to undertake a subsurface study of the Sirhan and Azraq Blocks in Jordan. Under the deal, sealed by NRA Director General Mousa Alzyoud and Shell Jordan’s Country Chair Thomas Meijssen, Shell will evaluate the conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon prospectivity of the two Blocks through previous studies, data gathering and analysis. The MoU was given the go-ahead by the government in November, 2012, in support of studying the Kingdom’s fossil fuel and natural resources, for a period of nine months and can be extended for three more months. Upon the completion of the study, all data, studies, and conclusions will be shared with the NRA. After the study phase, both parties may enter commercial negotiations for the exploration and development phase.