Operators progress drilling and exploration plans across offshore Africa
Operators offshore Africa are advancing drilling campaigns, appraisal programs and infrastructure investments from Nigeria to Namibia. Recent updates highlight renewed deepwater work in West Africa, continued exploration in emerging basins and efforts to optimize production from mature assets.
Nigeria deepwater drilling and intervention plans resume
Meren Energy expects drilling and intervention activities to resume shortly on the deepwater Akpo and Egina offshore Nigeria following last year’s pause.
In a first-quarter results update, Meren revealed that operator TotalEnergies is working to secure a deepwater drilling rig, with mobilization anticipated later this year.
The first planned well will be on the 143-MMboe Akpo Far East exploration prospect, followed by production drilling on Akpo and Egina. Startup of the wells is planned for early 2027.
In parallel, well interventions are planned on certain existing wells to support and sustain production ahead of the wider drilling campaign.
TotalEnergies plans appraisal drilling this year on an extension of the Egina South oil discovery into the neighboring OPL 257 license. Egina South is close to the Egina FPSO offshore infrastructure.
Nigeria appraisal and infill drilling pipeline expands
In PML 52 (Agbami), operated by Chevron, and PPL 2003 (Ikija), the first phase of the next planned drilling program should begin in the fourth quarter.
This will start with the Ikija appraisal well. At Agbami, six infill wells are currently planned across 2027 and 2028.
Namibia exploration and port infrastructure development
Meren Energy is also an indirect partner to TotalEnergies in the Venus oil discovery in the Orange Basin offshore Namibia.
Farther north, the Namibian Ports Authority has issued phased expansion plans at Lüderitz and Walvis Bay to support offshore energy activities in these regions. Objectives include adding oil and gas supply base capacity, quay wall expansions and the interim use of existing facilities during the early project phase.
Cameroon licensing activity advances
In other West Africa news, Murphy Oil reported in a quarterly update that it has submitted an offer for four exploration blocks offshore Cameroon, which the government has accepted.
Final terms should follow pending further discussions with the government.
Equatorial Guinea seismic work and fast-track development options
At Block EG-23 offshore Equatorial Guinea, operator Panoro Energy reported in an operations update that seismic reprocessing and subsurface studies are underway with a focus on existing discoveries (some of which have been tested) and surrounding prospectivity in water depths of ~60 m.
The 2001 Estrella oil and gas discovery has been high-graded as a potential fast-track appraisal/development project connected to existing infrastructure, with concepts under evaluation.
Angola production optimization and near-field exploration
Finally, Afentra reported in its recent annual results update that it plans this year to increase production from Block 3/05 offshore Angola. This includes:
- Hydraulic workovers to maximize reuses of existing wellbores for both production and injection to enhance recovery;
- Infill drilling, targeting parts of a field that have not been drilled in more than a decade, with over 20 opportunities identified;
- Near-field exploration of high-impact structures adjacent to existing fields; and
- Production enhancement through the installation of electric submersible pumps following the completion of ongoing power system upgrades.
About the Author
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.