Shell is pursuing government authorization for a new drilling project off the western shores of South Africa. According to a draft scoping report from environmental consultancy SLR, Shell plans to drill up to five wells in the region. The company aims to carry out exploration and appraisal activities as oil companies shift their focus south of Namibia, where recent discoveries in the Orange Basin promise further potential finds. The Orange Basin, extending into South African
The National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) will soon commence oil exploration prospecting in the municipalities of Rivungo, Calai, and Cuangar in the province of Cuando Cubango. Following a meeting held by the provincial governor of Cuando Cubango, José Martins, ANPG’s director of the Institutional Security Office, Manuel Domingos Dembe, announced that the first phase involves demining work in four areas identified for oil prospecting. Manuel Domingos Dembe stated that ANPG is operating in
TotalEnergies SE is reportedly planning to withdraw from its gas-condensate discoveries off the coast of South Africa to redirect its exploration efforts closer to Namibia, according to sources familiar with the matter. The French energy giant ventured into South Africa’s challenging offshore conditions, investing approximately $400 million to uncover an estimated 1 billion barrels equivalent of light liquid hydrocarbons at the Brulpadda field in 2019, as reported by Bloomberg. Subsequently, TotalEnergies achieved another successful find
Chevron Corporation (CVX) has chosen the Deepsea Bollsta semi-submersible rig for an upcoming exploration well in Namibia’s Orange Basin, as announced by Northern Ocean Ltd., a provider of offshore drilling services. Scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2024, this operation will target Block 2813B under Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) 90, situated north of TotalEnergies SE’s Venus discovery. The Orange Basin, known for its potential, has attracted major interest due to recent discoveries like
Shell Egypt has signed two new agreements with Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Tarek El Molla, for investments in the deepwater sector of the Herodotus Basin off the western Mediterranean coast. Shell acquired 67% of the 6,800 square kilometer North Marina and North Cleopatra concessions through its subsidiary BG Delta Limited, which will manage the operations. The remaining stakes were awarded to Chevron, which acquired 27% through its subsidiary Noble Energy Egypt, and
The National Oil, Gas and Biofuel Agency (ANPG) is gearing up to launch the first phase of a significant project in southern Angola. The initiative, titled “Geological Mapping and Demining Study Project,” will focus on the Etosha/Okavango Basin, spanning the provinces of Moxico, Cuando Cubango, and Cunene. This project aims to assess the oil and hydrocarbon potential within the basin. Initial areas of interest include Chiedi in Namacunde municipality and Ruacana in Curoca, both located
The Mozambican government and Chinese oil company CNOOC Hong Kong Holding signed five concession contracts on Thursday in Maputo for oil and gas exploration in the Angoche sedimentary basin, located off the coast of Nampula province. Additionally, a sixth contract was signed with Italian energy company ENI. At the signing ceremony, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Carlos Zacarias noted that this milestone is the culmination of a process that began in November 2021, when
London-listed Pensana has praised the Angolan government for its attractive policies and growing interest in the country’s exploration potential. This comes as Angola saw a notable improvement in its ranking to 47th out of 86 countries in the 2023 Investment Attractiveness Index, up from 59th out of 62 countries in 2022. The Investment Attractiveness Index, produced annually by the Fraser Institute, combines the Policy Perception Index and the Best Practices Mineral Potential Index. It evaluates
Nafusa Oil Operations BV has announced that the National Oil Corporation (NOC) has acquired its foreign partner’s share in the development of the North Hamada field. T his acquisition enables the resumption of exploration in Block 47 of the Ghadames Basin, which had been paused since 2014. In a statement released on Friday, Nafusa Oil Operations highlighted that this acquisition is expected to facilitate new discoveries in Block 47. These discoveries can be quickly developed
QatarEnergy partners with ExxonMobil, acquiring a 40% stake in two offshore Egypt exploration blocks through a farm-in agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, which is subject to customary approvals by the government of Egypt, QatarEnergy will acquire a 40% working interest in each of the Cairo and Masry offshore concession agreements, while ExxonMobil, as the operator, will retain the remaining 60% working interest. The Cairo and Masry offshore exploration blocks were awarded to ExxonMobil
