African offshore oil developments: New licenses, farm-outs and exploration strategies

The African offshore oil sector is experiencing significant growth with Eni expanding its deepwater exploration in Côte d’Ivoire, BW Energy exploring farm-in opportunities in Angola, and Eco Atlantic extending licenses and farm-out agreements in Namibia.
Oct. 1, 2025
2 min read

Key Highlights

  • Eni, Cote d’Ivoire’s sole deepwater production operator, has been awarded a new block close to its Calao discovery.
  • BW Energy has held talks with Azule Energy on a farm-in to Angola’s offshore Block 14/3K.
  • Eco Atlantic is advancing plans for deepwater seismic programs in Namibia’s Walvis Bay basin after securing license extensions.
ID 175514942 | Africa Map © Lorenzot81 | Dreamstime.com
West Africa map

The offshore oil sector in Africa sees significant activity with Eni expanding its exploration footprint in Côte d’Ivoire, BW Energy exploring farm-in opportunities in Angola, and Eco Atlantic extending licenses and farm-out agreements in Namibia, emphasizing deepwater exploration and local ownership.

Eni gains further deepwater block offshore Côte d’Ivoire

Eni has expanded its deepwater exploration acreage position in Côte d’Ivoire, signing a contract for the CI-707 offshore block with the Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Energy.

The license contains the same geology as the nearby CI-205 Block, where Eni made the Calao discovery in March 2024. It covers 2,926 sq km over the Ivorian sedimentary basin, in water depths of 1,000 m to 3,000 m, with a maximum duration of nine years for the exploration period.

BW Energy in exploratory talks for Angola farm-in

BW Energy has confirmed reports that one of its subsidiaries is part of a process that could lead to the acquisition of Azule Energy’s non-operated interests in Block 14/14K offshore Angola. Azule is the joint E&P venture in Angola and Namibia between Eni and bp.

However, BW Energy stressed that no binding terms have been agreed.

Eco Atlantic farms out of PEL 98 offshore Namibia

Courtesy Eco Atlantic
Map: Eco Atlantic's Namibia acreage following approval of PEL 98 farmout

Eco Atlantic's Namibia acreage following approval of PEL 98 farmout

Toronto-based Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas has signed deeds of amendments for, and obtained extensions to, its four petroleum exploration licenses (PELs) offshore Namibia.

Following the one-year extensions, the initial exploration period for PELs 97, 98, 99 and 100 now runs until September 2026.

In addition, the company has agreed to farm out its 85% interest in PEL 98 (Block 2213 "Sharon Block") to Namibian-owned company Lamda Energy, pending government approval.

Last June, Eco received an environmental clearance certificate for planned seismic surveys across the four licenses and has since been in farm-down/seismic operations discussions with potential new partners.

The company said it was seeking to switch its geological focus to the country’s deeper proven plays, as opposed to the shallower PEL 98 Block 2213.

Here, Lamda will become a fully Namibian-owned, qualified offshore operator following Ministerial approval.

Eco’s updated and approved work programs include 3D seismic reprocessing over PEL 97, and a ~1,000-sq km 3D seismic survey and processing on both PEL 99 and 100, all in the deepwater Walvis Basin.

Courtesy Northern Ocean
offshore Deepsea Mira rig
Rhino Resources has drilled a third discovery well this year in the PEL 85 license in Namibia’s deepwater Orange Basin. The well is said to have encountered high-yield gas-condensate...
Oct. 1, 2025

About the Author

Jeremy Beckman
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Jeremy Beckman

Editor, Europe

Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.

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