Sonatrach Restarts Libya Drilling in Ghadames Basin, Targets New Oil and Gas Discovery
Algeria’s state energy company Sonatrach has resumed oil and gas exploration activities in Libya’s Ghadames Basin, according to the National Oil Corporation (NOC).
The renewed project is located in Block 95/96, near the Algerian-Libyan border and approximately 100 kilometers from the Wafa field.
Sonatrach had suspended operations in May 2014 due to security concerns but now plans to drill to a target depth of 8,440 feet.
The restart follows up on a 2013 discovery, when Libya’s Ministry of Oil and Gas confirmed that Sonatrach had successfully found oil and gas in the same area.
Preliminary studies at the time estimated production potential at around 8,200 barrels of crude oil and 1,700 cubic meters of natural gas per day. Libya, home to Africa’s largest proven oil reserves—approximately 48 billion barrels—has struggled with repeated production disruptions since the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi.
The nation remains politically divided between the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) and a rival administration in Benghazi supported by Khalifa Haftar and foreign partners, including Russia.
Despite the ongoing political fragmentation, the Tripoli government launched a $3–4 billion oil and gas recovery plan in early 2025 aimed at revitalizing the sector.
As part of this broader initiative, Italy’s Eni resumed offshore exploration along Libya’s northwest coast in October 2025, while ExxonMobil and Chevron have entered discussions to develop new blocks and enhance production from existing fields.
In a significant move toward reopening its energy sector, Libya held its first oil licensing round in 17 years in April 2025, marking a new phase in efforts to attract foreign investment and rebuild national output.
