Vaalco outlines drilling line-up offshore Gabon, nears FID on Venus development

Vaalco Energy's offshore updates include new drilling in Gabon, near-FID on the Venus discovery in Equatorial Guinea, and Baobab FPSO refurbishment for Côte d'Ivoire field development, according to its latest quarterly report.
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Aug. 8, 2025
2 min read
Courtesy Vaalco Energy
Baobab FPSO
At the Baobab CI-40 Field, Vaalco says FPSO unit maintenance and upgrades, starting in 2025, will enable future drilling and development, with operations expected to resume in 2026 followed by the drilling campaign.
Courtesy Vaalco Energy
Map of Vaalco Energy's assets offshore Gabon
Vaalco holds a 58.8% working interest in and operates the Etame Marin Block offshore Gabon.

Vaalco Energy expects to start a new drilling campaign offshore Gabon around the end of September, pending the contracted rig fulfilling its current commitments.

The program includes a mix of drilling development wells, appraisal or exploration wells, and workovers, with options in the contract for additional wells.

Vaalco plans to drill new wells at the Etame and Seent platforms, and a re-drill and various workovers on the Ebouri Field. Some of the wells were previously removed from the company’s proved reserves due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide.

Last month, staged shutdowns took place on the platforms so safety inspections and maintenance could be conducted to improve the integrity and reliability of the facilities.

Courtesy Vaalco Energy
Map of Vaalco Energy's assets offshore Equatorial Guinea
Vaalco holds a 60% working interest in and is the operator of Block P offshore Equatorial Guinea.

Offshore Equatorial Guinea, the company is aiming to take FID on the Venus discovery in Block P, after completing a FEED study. Its plan of development is based on drilling assessments, facilities design and a metocean review of the offshore environment.

In Block CI-40 offshore Cote d’Ivoire, the company is a partner to Canadian Natural Resources in the Baobab Field development. The FPSO was removed from the field in late March and arrived at Drydocks World in Dubai in mid-May to undergo a program of refurbishment for life extension purposes.

A rig has been secured for a new phase of development drilling, which should start next year after the FPSO has returned to service. Studies continue for a future development of the Kossipo Field in the same license.

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