Energy supermajor TotalEnergies has extended its contract for the Deepsea Mira semi-submersible rig, which is currently operating offshore Namibia. The rig is owned by Northern Ocean and managed by Odfjell Drilling. The extension adds 65 to 93 days to the initial contract term, generating an estimated additional revenue backlog of $27 million to $38 million for Northern Ocean. The sixth-generation CS 60 E harsh environment rig, capable of operating in water depths up to 10,000
Spanish energy giant Repsol has resumed exploration activities in Libya’s Murzuq Basin, ending a ten-year hiatus. On December 31, 2024, the company began drilling operations at the Al-2/130 exploratory well, also known as Muammal Nasr. Located approximately 800 kilometers south of Tripoli and 12 kilometers from the Sharara oil field, the well targets the Mumaniyyat formation with a planned final depth of 1,844 meters. Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) welcomed the move, expressing optimism that
Infinity Power, in partnership with Pele Green Energy, has been awarded six solar projects with a combined capacity of 1.28 GW under South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) Seventh Round. This achievement will triple Infinity Power’s current generation capacity in South Africa, supporting its ambitious goal to deploy 10 GW of renewable energy across Africa by 2030. Expanding South Africa’s Renewable Energy Landscape The six solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, with a
Angolan upstream firm ACREP plans to commence oil exploration in the onshore Cabinda Norte Block in 2025, with the goal of determining the economic viability of the block. The company will conduct feasibility studies to assess the block’s potential production capacity following exploration. Since 1968, up to 20 wells have been drilled in the block, but bureaucratic challenges have hindered their development. ACREP’s Operations Director, Idonio dos Santos, stated that these challenges have now been
Offshore drilling contractor Noble Corporation has secured a $171 million contract with Tullow Ghana to deploy its Noble Venturer drillship for exploration services in the West African nation. Under the 360-day contract, the Noble Venturer will drill six wells starting in May 2025. The first two wells are scheduled for completion within 120 days, followed by a maintenance period for the drill rig until the end of 2025. The remaining four wells are set to
The Cabinda Gulf Oil Company (CABGOC), a subsidiary of Chevron, has successfully achieved first gas from its Sanha Lean Gas Connection project in Angola. Valued at $300 million, the project involves the development of a platform that connects to the Sanha condensate complex and features pipelines linking Blocks 0 and 14 to the Angola Liquefied Natural Gas (ALNG) facility and the Soyo power plant. The first phase of the project will deliver approximately 80 million
Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited has announced ministerial approval for its acquisition of Shell Petroleum Development Company’s onshore oil assets in Nigeria. In January 2024, Shell agreed to sell its Nigerian onshore oil assets to Renaissance Africa for over $1.3 billion, subject to regulatory clearance. The assets include an estimated 6.73 billion barrels of oil and condensate reserves, along with 56.27 trillion cubic feet of associated and non-associated gas reserves. Renaissance Africa is a consortium
Petra Diamonds has revised its rough diamond pricing forecast downward for the remainder of the fiscal year due to ongoing softness across most size categories. The company now projects rough diamonds from its Cullinan mine in South Africa to sell for $120 to $130 per carat, down from the initial forecast of $125 to $135 per carat. Similarly, diamonds from the Finsch mine are expected to fetch $80 to $90 per carat, compared to the
Antwerp-based diamond supplier Choron Group has announced its acquisition of AMC Group, a De Beers sightholder, marking a rare instance of consolidation in the diamond trade. The acquisition, facilitated by diamond brokerage and consultancy firm Bonas Group, will be finalized on January 1, 2025. Financial details of the deal remain undisclosed. “This acquisition marks a significant milestone for Choron,” stated CEO Anshul Gandhi. “AMC’s legacy of excellence and market leadership complements our vision to deliver
Alrosa, the Russian diamond mining giant, reported a 4.6% drop in annual output for 2024, producing 33 million carats compared to 34.6 million in 2023. The decline aligns with planned reductions due to sanctions, weak demand, and depressed rough diamond prices, according to Aisen Nikolaev, head of the Yakutia regional government. The sanctions have also forced Alrosa to divest its stakes in Angola’s Catoca and Luele diamond mines, further impacting production capacity. Additionally, Russia’s state-owned
