Angola Authorises Oil Potential Study as Government Targets New Exploration Areas
Angola has authorised the hiring of a specialised consulting firm to assess the oil potential of new areas, as the country continues efforts to expand exploration and strengthen its long-term petroleum production base.
The authorisation forms part of the government’s broader strategy to identify new hydrocarbon opportunities and attract investment into areas that could contribute to future oil and gas production.
The consultancy will be tasked with carrying out technical assessments of selected areas and evaluating their hydrocarbon potential.
The work is expected to provide geological and technical information that can support decisions on future exploration activities, including the identification of areas with stronger prospects for oil and gas discoveries.
The initiative comes as Angola seeks to counter declining production from mature fields by encouraging new exploration and developing previously underexplored resources.
Angola seeks to sustain oil production
Angola has faced declining crude production in recent years as several of its major offshore fields mature.
The government has responded with measures aimed at attracting fresh investment, improving the competitiveness of mature assets and encouraging exploration in new areas.
Recent developments have highlighted renewed interest in Angola’s upstream sector. The country is progressing major projects such as the Kaminho development in the Kwanza Basin, while new exploration activity is also taking place in established offshore areas.
In August 2026, Chevron announced an oil and gas-condensate discovery in Block 0 offshore Cabinda, further highlighting the exploration potential of Angola’s offshore basins.
Supporting investment and resource development
The new assessment could help Angola identify additional areas suitable for exploration and provide potential investors with better geological information before committing capital.
The government has been working to revive exploration activity following years of limited investment, with the objective of replenishing reserves and supporting national production.
The consultancy study is therefore an important preliminary step in determining where future exploration should be concentrated.
If the assessments identify commercially attractive prospects, the findings could support future licensing, exploration campaigns and investment opportunities, strengthening Angola’s position as a major oil producer in Africa.
