Germany's Wintershall has given back its two onshore licenses Ta5 and Ta6 for the Taoudeni Basin in Mauretania, North Africa, to the energy ministry of the North African country.

Wintershall has been active in both blocks in the border region between Mali and Algeria since 2006. Although it was possible to prove the existence of hydrocarbons in the hottest and driest part of the Sahara in the studies conducted, the evaluation of the results of the exploration activities indicated that commercial production is not possible.