All articles in the Oil patch Sub-Sahara Section:

TOTALEnergies Advances Large-sized 3D Seismic Processing, Seabed Sampling, offshore Liberia

Section: Oil patch Sub-Sahara · July 8, 2026 · No comments |

Norwegian player TGS Geohysical has completed over 50% of reprocessing of the entire 6,167 square kilometres (km²) of three dimensional 3D seismic data set in three blocks, offshore Liberia.

London based GeoPartners is conducting a Multi-Beam Eco Sounder survey (MBES) comprising an area of 4,045 km² in water depths ranging from 500 metres to 3,500 metres in the same blocks.

The projects are being carried out on behalf of TOTALEnergies and BluEnergies, in the context of a joint study and application agreement JSAA in blocks LB-26, LB-30 and LB-31 in the Harper Basin, offshore Liberia. The JSAA is supported by a Reconnaissance License LPRA-003 (RL-003) with the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPR) covering these contiguous Blocks with an areal extent of 8,924km².

The primary goal of the 3D seismic data reprocessing is to enhance the seismic character/definition and the AVO content (Direct Hydrocarbon Indicator) of the original 3-D seismic survey completed by TGS in 2013.

This is the same project that TGS announced in January 2026, which it said was “supported by industry funding,” noting it would deliver “a full 3D Kirchhoff Pre-Stack Depth Migration from field tapes, applying modern imaging workflows to enhance data quality and subsurface understanding, with final products scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2026”.

The Multi Beam Echo Sounder Survey led by Geo Partners is designed to map underwater terrain, aiding in identifying sea bottom anomalies, supporting the safe selection of future drilling locations. The MBES identifies seabed geomorphologies (pockmarks, mud volcanoes, faults, etc.) and the presence of anomalous features (carbonates, outcrops, bacterial mats, etc.); it also performs water column imaging for the detection of anomalies related to seepage of hydrocarbons through the sea bottom, Seabed Geochemical Sampling & Heat Flow Measurements.

GeoPartners is utilizing the R/V GYRE vessel owned and operated by Texas based TDI-Brooks. This comprehensive data acquisition commenced on June 19, 2026, with expected completion in third quarter3Q 2026, allowing for early integration into a refined 3D seismic data interpretation.

Seabed Geochemical Sampling is conducted through piston coring to collect evidence of migrated mature hydrocarbons (detection of fluorescent/natural oil compounds, hydrocarbon chromatography, thermogenic origin, etc.)

Heat Flow Measurements are being performed to collect information about the relative sediment temperature and the thermal history of the undrilled Harper basin.

This project completion is expected by 4Q 2026, allowing for the integration of the data into a refined 3-D data re-interpretation of the numerous leads (basin floor fans) within the Blocks.

All of these programme initiatives are focused on identifying drillable prospects and assisting in the selection of optimal drilling locations.

“The West Africa Transform Margin, where the Harper basin is located, and its conjugate South American Margin are regions where basin floor fan plays are being actively and successfully explored, developed and produced,” says Sergio Laura, BluEnergies’ VP of Exploration. “The recent, hectic activity by major oil companies in securing licenses for deepwater acreage along the entire Africa west margin is confirmation that the early move by BluEnergies in the Harper basin (2023) was a valid one. The Jubilee field in Ghana, the Venus field in Namibia, and the recent discoveries offshore Cote d’Ivoire have proven the significance of basin floor fan plays along the African margin.”

Murphy Reports 30 Metres of Pay in one of the deepest wells in African offshore

Section: Oil patch Sub-Sahara · June 23, 2026 · No comments |

By Marshal Gungubele, in Abidjan

U.S minnow Murphy Oil Corporation has announced an oil discovery at the Bubale-1X exploration well in Block CI-709, located approximately 64 kilometres in the Tano Basin offshore Côte d’Ivoire.

The Bubale-1X well was drilled to a total depth of 6,263 metres (20,548 feet) in 2,376 metres (7,795 feet) of water. The well encountered 30 metres (100 feet) of net oil pay across two reservoirs, with preliminary assessment indicating high-quality light oil.

6,263metres of vertical drilling is a lot of depth in Africa’s upstream portfolio and while there have been several wells drilled in water depths in excess of 2,500metres off the continent, Babale-1X’s 2,376 metres WD is still quite significant.

Murphy’s press release did not provide details of the drilling operations. Wellingence, the subsurface scout data consultancy, reported that “the well met difficult drilling conditions in its shallower Turonian objective”, but there is no clarity about the pressure regime, which often determines the pace of drilling.

“The Bubale-1X well is the third and final well in Murphy’s current three-well exploration campaign in Côte d’Ivoire. Following these results, Murphy will move into the next phase of evaluation, with one well planned for the second half of 2026 to test the extent of the discovery”, the company explained.

In its 2026 first quarter earnings presentation, Murphy cites the prospect’s mean to upward gross recoverable resource potential as approximately 340 to 850Million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe). “Early results at Bubale reinforce the prospectivity of our Côte d’Ivoire acreage,” said Eric Hambly, the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are pleased with the results to date, which underscore the value of a disciplined and consistent exploration approach. Our immediate focus now is advancing evaluation plans to define the discovery’s full potential.”

The Bubale-1X well was spud in late February 2026 by Murphy, operator of Block CI-709. The company holds a 90% working interest in the block, with Société Nationale d’Opérations Pétrolières de la Côte d’Ivoire (PETROCI) holding the remaining 10%.

TGS Captures Eq. Guinea in its Mega Surveys Basket

Section: Oil patch Sub-Sahara · June 10, 2026 · No comments |

The Norwegian seismic specialist, TGS, has announced the signing of an agreement with the Ministry of Hydrocarbon and Mining Development of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea to create an offshore MegaSurvey, a large-scale multi-client seismic product.

The first phase will include the post-stack reprocessing of approximately 27,273 kilometres of two dimensional (2D) seismic data and around 35,000 square kilometres of three dimensional (3D) seismic data, with completion expected in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026.

Mega Surveys are harmonized 3D seismic datasets covering large contiguous areas. They support more confident geological interpretation, improve understanding of structural and stratigraphic frameworks, and help reduce exploration uncertainty.

The agreement marks the first phase of a broader plan to create a harmonized and seamless seismic data product across Equatorial Guinea’s offshore basins. The full product vision includes approximately 46,343 line kilometres of 2D seismic data and more than 59,000 square kilometres of 3D seismic data.

“The Equatorial Guinea MegaSurvey is the first of its kind in the country and will apply TGS’s latest imaging technology to address key subsurface challenges and support exploration risk reduction across the Rio del Rey and Rio Muni basins”, explains David Hajovsky, Executive Vice President, Multi-Client at TGS. The product is designed to provide a basin-wide regional screening tool, supporting prospect identification, prospect ranking and planning for future work commitments.”

By integrating and reprocessing legacy datasets into a consistent regional framework, the MegaSurvey will provide new insight into the prospectivity of Equatorial Guinea’s offshore basins and support informed exploration decision-making.

“Basins do not stop at geographical borders, and this agreement supports TGS’s longer-term ambition to build broader, seamless regional data products across the Gulf of Guinea”, TGS says.

In Gabon, Drilling Campaign Is Close to Start for MaBoMo Phase 2 Development

Section: Oil patch Sub-Sahara · May 21, 2026 · No comments |

Drilling is scheduled to commence mid-year (July) 2026 for the MaBoMo Phase 2 Development in the Dussfu license offshore Gabon

The programme includes four initial production wells drilled from the existing BW MaBoMo mobile production unit, with two additional appraisal wells currently under evaluation.

First oil has been scheduled for late 2026 into the first quarter of 2027, to offset natural declines and expand production, according to BW Energy, the Norwegian operator of the asset.

The new wells are expected to return gross production at the Dussafu license to nameplate capacity of approximately 40,000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD).

The extracted crude will be processed at the nearby FPSO BW Adolo, utilizing an existing 20 kilometre subsea pipeline already in place.

BW Energy says it is progressing with the nearby Bourdon prospect towards a Final Investment Decision (FID) utilizing the MaBoMo blueprint as a development cluster.

“The Gabonese Ministry of Petroleum and Gas also approved a 20year extension of the Dussafu Marin production license to 2048 to support these ongoing activities”, BW Energy says

Angola’s Etu Is Thrilled by the Flow of a Trickle of Oil in Block 2/05

Section: Oil patch Sub-Sahara · May 14, 2026 · No comments |

Angola’s largest homegrown E&P firm, Etu Energias, has proudly announced the safe and successful completion of drilling, completion and testing operations of the Espadarte 7ST2 appraisal well (ESP 7ST2), located in Block 2/05 of the Lower Congo Basin, in the country.

The company is elated that the extended reach well, aimed at evaluating the channel lobe sands in the preferred zone with greater amplitude and thickness in the Tertiary Reservoir, “traversed eight (8) productive intervals, with a total thickness of 53 metres, thus confirming the presence of good quality reservoirs, with an average porosity between 18% and 25% and good average permeability, above what was already observed in the Espadarte-2 well drilled in 1993”.

Etu is not shy to confirm the indicative numbers for planned production: “Initial tests showed stabilized production with a flow rate between 2,000 and 2,500 barrels of oil per day, without the presence of water, an indicator that reinforces the economic viability of its development”, the company gushed.

ADES (Shelf Drilling) Signs Close to $100Million Contract with Seplat Energy

Section: Oil patch Sub-Sahara · May 9, 2026 · 1 comment |

Saudi vehicle ADES Holding Co. has secured a contract for the jack-up Shelf Drilling Victory in Nigeria from Seplat Energy Producing Nigeria Unlimited (SEPNU), a subsidiary of Seplat Energy, Africa’s largest homegrown E&P operator.

The contract is for a firm period of two years, “with two unpriced optional extension periods of one year each”, ADES says in a release.

“The total contract value for the firm period only including mobilization and demobilization fees is approximately $92.7Million, inclusive of ADES’ in-country partner’s share”, the company explained.

Seplat has reported, in its 2025 annual report, plans that SEPNU will drill three wells in Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 67, 70 & 104 in late 2026, but the ADES’ press release does not confirm where Shelf Victory will be deployed to.

SEPNU is the operator of NNPC-SEPNU Joint Venture, which runs OMLs 67 70 & 104.

“We will be drilling across the JV, in different fields into the nearest future (at least for the next 3-4 years)” SEPNU sources tell Africa Oil+Gas Report. “If you assume a rig can drill an average of 4-6 wells a year, you can do the maths on the number of wells to be drilled”.

ADES Holding officially completed its acquisition of Shelf Drilling, the Norwegian drilling firm, on November 25, 2025, through a cash merger that saw the company become a wholly-owned subsidiary. Since then it has doubled down on winning drilling contracts in Nigeria.

Coming after the recent contract signing with the Dangote owned West Africa Exploration & Production (WAEP), for three premium jackup rigs, the Seplat contract “reaffirms ADES’ conviction in Nigeria as a high-growth market for drilling and upstream activity — underpinned by rising energy demand, national production targets, and increased investment in offshore exploration and field development”, ADES said in the release.

Viridien in Second Phase of Reimaging Côte d’Ivoire’s Segment of the Tano Basin

Section: Oil patch Sub-Sahara · May 6, 2026 · No comments |

Viridien has commenced CDI25, a 6,555 km² seismic reimaging project in the Tano Basin, Côte d’Ivoire, “delivering a drill-ready multi-client dataset for explorers pursuing opportunities along the West African Atlantic margin”.

Fast-track results from the project are scheduled for Q4 2026 and final deliverables by Q2 2027.

“CDI25 is part of a larger Côte d’Ivoire subsurface reimaging programme that Viridien began four years ago, designed to systematically upgrade seismic data and interpretation confidence across the basin”, says Viridien, the Paris based Earth data company formerly known as CGG.

“The programme is applying Viridien’s processing and imaging workflows, including Ghost Wavefield Elimination (GWE), advanced de-multiple, and industry-leading Time-Lag Full-Waveform Inversion (TL-FWI), to improve bandwidth, enhance deep imaging, and sharpen structural and stratigraphic detail.

Upon completion of this latest project, the overall reimaging programme will deliver a seamless, basin-scale three dimensional (3D) seismic volume providing over 16,000 km² of coverage across the Tano Basin. The integrated dataset will significantly enhance prospectivity assessment and play understanding, providing critical subsurface insight into the recent discovery within the Calao Channel complex, while extending regional context into the adjacent acreage of the Baleine field to support lead maturation, de-risking, and further exploration delineation.

Dechun Lin, Head of Earth Data, Viridien, said: “The recent Murene South and Baleine field discoveries highlight the growing importance of Tano Basin and the industry value of our multi-year reimaging program. Viridien is proud to support exploration offshore Côte d’Ivoire with cutting-edge data that is generating new insights to reveal further opportunities in this prolific basin.”

TOTAL Encounters New Oil in The Congo, Will Top up the Output A Bit

Section: Oil patch Sub-Sahara · April 13, 2026 · No comments |

TOTALEnergies EP Congo has announced a hydrocarbon discovery on the Moho license, offshore the Republic of Congo, following the drilling of the MHNM-6 NFW exploration well targeting the Moho G structure.

The well encountered a hydrocarbon column of approximately 160 metres in good-quality Albian reservoirs, and an extensive data acquisition and sampling campaign was carried out to support the subsurface interpretation and future development.

The Moho G discovery, together with the discovery previously made on the nearby Moho F structure, represents recoverable resources estimated at close to 100Million barrels, which are planned to be developed as a tie-back to the existing Moho facilities.

This new discovery on the Moho license benefits from its proximity to existing production infrastructure, allowing a short cycle, cost effective tie-back development, said Nicola Mavilla, Senior Vice-President Exploration at TOTALEnergies. By leveraging our technical expertise and existing infrastructure, we are creating the conditions for future value-accretive production for the Company.

TOTALEnergies EP Congo is the operator of Moho license with a 63.5% participation, alongside Trident Energy (21.5%) and the Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC, 15%). Existing production facilities include two Floating Production Units (FPU), Alima and Likouf, combining for a current output of around 90KBOEPD (100%).

Nigeria is Massively Drilling, with Much More Planned for 2027

Section: Oil patch Sub-Sahara · April 6, 2026 · No comments |

The drillship Noble Gerry de Souza (NGdS) and the land rig Bembu 1 are scheduled to join the current fleet of 54 rigs active in the Nigerian oil patch before June 2026, bolstering a busy, basin- wide rig site activity that had zoomed off in the Niger Delta since 2024.

The national rig schedule indicates that ExxonMobil has lined up 16 wells from July 2026 to September 2027. They are all infill wells, planned to be drilled by NGdS.

Amni International has returned to drilling after a six year hiatus, using the Shelf Victory to, according to plan, drill three wells on the Okoro field, all sidetracks.

The US major Chevron and the Indian operator SEEPCO, are expected to be the busiest with the drill bit.

Read more

Sonangol to Spud a Near Field Exploration Well in Block 3/05

Section: Oil patch Sub-Sahara · April 4, 2026 · No comments |

Angola’s state hydrocarbon company is utilising a contracted jack up rig to accelerate a two-well drilling programme in the country’s shallow water Block 3/05.

Sonangol is moving forward a planned 2026 drilling programme on Block 3/05 with the Borr Grid jackup, which it had contracted principally for another programme.

The first of the two wells is the Pacassa South West (SW) exploration. The second is either a Pacassa SW injection well or the Impala-2 development well.

Partners to Sonangol (40%, operator) on the block include Afentra (33.33%), Maurel & Prom (M&P) (23.33%), and NIS Naftagas (4%). The programme targets a potential gross production uplift of around 9,000Barrels of Oil Per Day (BOPD) and will help define the material upside potential in the Pacassa SW area up to 70Million Barrels of Oil (70MMBO) recoverable and the Impala field (up to 50MMBO recoverable). Block 3/05 averaged 20,000BOPD gross production in February 2026.

The campaign will commence with the Pacassa SW well, which is expected to have a drilling duration of 80 to 90 days. The decision second to either drill a Pacassa SW injection well or the Impala-2 development after Pacassa SW-1,dependent on the outcome of the initial Pacassa SW well and operational preparedness.

Pacassa SW is a currently un-drilled fault block adjacent to the prolific Pacassa field which has the potential to contain up to 210MMbbls of oil in place. The well will be drilled from the Pacassa F4 platform which in the event of a successful outcome will allow the well to be completed and connected to the existing production infrastructure. A successful outcome will also provide the opportunity to define the full development of the Pacassa SW area of up to 70MMBO recoverable resources

Impala-2 will be drilled from the Impala wellhead platform into the Impala field around 1000m from the existing Impala-1 production well. The well will assist in defining the upside potential of the field which could contain up to 200mmbo of oil in place. Upon completion the well will be connected to the existing production infrastructure. The outcome will also assist in defining the optimum Impala field development which has up to 50mmbo of incremental recoverable resources. Sonangol will finance the planned two well programme and carry its partners with the deferred capex being recovered by Sonangol from future incremental production revenues from the wells being drilled.