UPDATE 2-Uruguay unveils new offshore bidding round

* Uruguay unveils new bidding round for 15 offshore blocks

* ANCAP optimistic about finding fuel deposits

* Contracts to be awarded in mid-2012
(Adds details on depths)

By Malena Castaldi

MONTEVIDEO, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Uruguay detailed plans to
auction 15 offshore exploration blocks on Thursday, part of the
energy-poor country's efforts to reduce its dependence on
imports of oil and natural gas.

The discovery of massive deep-water reserves off Brazil's
Atlantic coast has encouraged neighboring Uruguay to look for
energy resources along its own coastline.

"This country, which has traditionally been a farming
nation, is determined to find out (if it has oil)," President
Jose Mujica said at the formal launch of the round.

"For a long time, we were totally unaware of the fact that
we were a country with mineral resources," he added, referring
to a newly discovered iron-ore deposit. "Who knows? We might
have some helpful energy resources too."

It is Uruguay's second round of bidding to explore
offshore. An earlier round launched in 2008 fell short of
expectations as a global financial crisis worsened, deterring
energy companies from risky and expensive offshore
exploration.

This time, Uruguayan energy officials say they have more
data to try to lure major global players into its waters.

"I'm very optimistic, I'd say we've got more than a 70
percent chance of finding hydrocarbons on our part of the
continental shelf," Raul Sendic, the head of state energy
company Ancap, told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.

He said Ancap would provide potential bidders with data
obtained in the last three years from in-house research and
from third parties.

"The main difference today is that we're positioned
differently on the world's energy map ... we've advanced with
studies on the existence of hydrocarbons, we've covered another
6,000 kilometers (3,730 miles) with seismic and other studies,"
he said.

"We've got very similar basin structures to those found on
the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, in Angola," he said.
Angola is Africa's second-largest oil producer after Nigeria.

DEEP-WATER

The 15 offshore blocks being offered for exploration cover
about 8,000 square kilometers (3,090 sq miles) each, and the
government plans to award contracts to the winning bidders in
mid-2012.

Depths range from 200 meters to 3,000 meters and 11 of the
15 blocks are classed as deep-water.

Sendic said that once exploration work begins in the
100,000 square kilometer area, he expects the firms would be
able to determine whether crude oil or natural gas deposits
exist within four to five years.

Companies invited to attend Thursday's launch event
included Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L), France's Total (TOTF.PA),
Portugal's Galp Energia (GALP.LS), Repsol's Argentine unit YPF
(YPFD.BA) (REP.MC), Brazil's Petrobras (PETR4.SA) and Russia's
Gazprom (GAZP.MM), among others.

In November 2008, Uruguay was only able to auction off two
of the 11 offshore blocks on offer. These two were awarded to a
consortium formed by YPF, Petrobras and Galp.

Ancap also plans to drill in northern Uruguay before year's
end to follow up an on initial discovery of oil and natural gas
in that area, while foreign energy companies are exploring
elsewhere in Uruguayan territory for the fossil fuels.

The state company imports some 900,000 barrels of crude
every 25 days from Venezuela, Brazil, Nigeria, Ecuador, Russia
and South Africa for refining locally. Uruguay does not import
refined fuels.
(Writing by Hilary Burke and Helen Popper; Editing by David
Gregorio)
(helen.popper@thomsonreuters.com; +54 11 4510 2505; Reuters
Messaging: helen.popper.reuters.com@reuters.net))