Angola Approves Afentra’s Risk Service Contract for Offshore Block 3/24 to Boost Oil and Gas Development
British energy company Afentra plc has announced that the Angolan government has approved a risk service contract (RSC) for offshore Block 3/24, marking a major milestone in the company’s continued expansion in West Africa. The block covers an area of approximately 545 square kilometers.
A presidential decree validating the contract has officially set the project in motion. Under the terms of the agreement, Afentra will hold a 40% operating interest, while Maurel & Prom Angola will also retain 40%, and Sonangol, Angola’s state-owned oil company, will hold the remaining 20%.
This approval allows Afentra and its partners to begin initial development and planning activities for the block.
The area is estimated to contain around 130 million barrels of oil and 400 billion cubic feet of natural gas, representing significant untapped potential for Angola’s upstream sector.
Afentra has reported five confirmed oil discoveries within Block 3/24—Palanca North East, Quissama, Goulongo, Cefo, and Kuma.
Some of these, including Palanca North East, have already been tested, yielding production rates of up to 6,000 barrels per day.
The project aligns with Angola’s energy policy promoting risk service contracts, which enable the state to retain ownership of natural resources while attracting private investment and technical expertise to manage exploration and production operations.
Afentra described the government’s approval as a key regulatory milestone, confirming its official entry into the block’s operations.
This development follows Afentra’s earlier acquisition of interests in Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A, announced by Ecofin Agency in July 2022.
In the coming months, Afentra plans to focus on analyzing historical exploration data, rehabilitating existing wells, and designing a phased development plan for Block 3/24.
While a production start date has not yet been announced, the company emphasized that this approval lays the groundwork for long-term growth in Angola’s offshore oil and gas sector.
Meanwhile, other international operators are also expanding their footprint in Angola. In September 2025, Chevron signed a preliminary risk service contract for offshore Block 33/24, underscoring the rising global interest in Angola’s RSC model and the country’s commitment to energy sector reform and development.
