Nearly half of South Africa’s oil refining capacity remains idle, reflecting a sharp decline over the past five years due to a combination of plant accidents and chronic underinvestment. This has forced the country to rely on imports for more than 60% of its fuel needs, according to state-owned logistics firm Transnet SOC Ltd. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, South Africa imported 4.2 million tons of refined petroleum products, with annual imports projected
Authorities have confirmed a third fatality resulting from the oil platform accident that occurred on May 20th off the coast of Cabinda. The latest victim, one of the 17 individuals injured in the incident, passed away in South Africa, where four of the injured were transferred for specialized medical care. This marks the second death recorded in South Africa linked to the accident. In addition, a worker who had previously been reported missing was found
Italian oil major Eni, global energy trading firm Vitol, and Ghana’s state-owned Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) have launched drilling operations for the Sankofa East 1X Side Track 2 well, located offshore Ghana. This new phase is part of efforts to sustain output from the Sankofa field and strengthen Ghana’s domestic energy supply. Drilling is underway near the John Agyekum Kufuor FPSO and forms part of the ongoing development of the Offshore Cape Three Points
Angola’s National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) has signed a Risk Service Contract for Block CON 4 with a consortium made up of Etu Energias, national oil company Sonangol, and Gesprocon. The agreement grants the consortium a 25-year operating license—comprising five years for exploration and 20 years for production—on the onshore block. Paulino Jerónimo, Chairman of the ANPG Board of Directors, highlighted the importance of the technical studies outlined in the contract, stating
TotalEnergies is preparing to seek approval from the Mozambican government to lift the force majeure on its $20 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, with plans to resume construction by mid-2025, according to a report by Reuters. The project, which has been on hold since 2021 due to insurgent violence in the Cabo Delgado region, includes the development of the Golfinho and Atum gas fields in Offshore Area 1, along with the construction of a
The General Secretary of the Cabinda Oil Industry and Related Workers Union (STIPAC), André Capita, has expressed concern over the frequency of accidents in Angola’s oil sector, following a recent incident on the Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) platform that left 17 people injured and one missing. The fire occurred early Tuesday on the basement deck of the deep-water BBLT platform, operated by Cabinda Gulf Oil Company (Cabgoc), a Chevron subsidiary, located in Block 14
Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited has announced plans to invest $15 billion over the next five years to develop oil fields located onshore and in the shallow waters of Nigeria’s Niger Delta. The company—a consortium of Nigerian-owned oil firms—recently acquired oil assets formerly operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), following Shell UK’s exit from onshore operations in the region. Greg Akhibi, Head of Supply Chain at Renaissance Africa Energy, disclosed the investment plans during
TotalEnergies is preparing to request Mozambique’s approval to lift the force majeure on its $20 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, with plans to resume construction by mid-2025, according to Reuters. The project has been suspended since 2021 due to insurgent attacks in the Cabo Delgado region. It involves the development of the Golfinho and Atum gas fields in the Offshore Area 1 block, along with the construction of a two-train liquefaction plant with an
Tullow Oil, through its Ghanaian subsidiary, has resumed drilling operations at the Jubilee Field, marking a new phase in the company’s development activities in the country. This latest campaign follows the successful completion of a previous drilling program that delivered 18 wells ahead of schedule and under budget. “The restart of drilling marks another milestone in our journey in Ghana and underscores our confidence in the country’s resource potential,” said Jean-Médard Madama, Managing Director of
Brazilian state-owned energy giant Petrobras has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Angola’s national oil company, Sonangol, to collaborate on research and development in the oil and gas sector. The agreement was formalized during Angolan President João Lourenço’s state visit to Brazil in May 2025, which focused on deepening trade and energy ties between the two nations. Both President Lourenço and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral
