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As Reconnaissance Energy Africa reports a productive 2025 in its year-end corporate operational performance, the company is preparing to conduct a well test in Damara Fold Belt offshore Namibia

“We are preparing to conduct a production test on Kavango West 1X, which will allow us to conduct a longer flow period and pressure buildup analysis to better calculate potential production rates and reserve estimates. Early planning suggests that we may test up to eight separate reservoir intervals of interest,” said Nick Steinsberger, Senior Vice President Drilling & Completions.

Unlike the usual process, the partners are prioritising production testing over a drill stem test to allow for more controlled testing of isolated intervals of interest. This way better addressed the operational challenges posed by a 2,000-m open hole section in adequately testing the entire gross Otavi reservoir at one time.

Production casing and testing equipment are being sourced before testing operations can be commenced in the first quarter of 2026. In a span of roughly two months, up to eight zones of interest will be evaluated. 

Wireline logging from the Huttenberg and Elandshoek formations within the Upper Otavi Group have also indicated promising results. Well analysis from the Elandshoek sections shows 81 m of hydrocarbon fluorescence found in cuttings, a clear indicator of hydrocarbons. Indications of fracturing were pervasive based on well logs.

Also, rapid increases in gas readings after drilling connections indicated hydrocarbons flowing actively towards the wellbore.

“We have had an active and productive 2025 in which we advanced the Company on multiple strategic fronts. We completed drilling our second well in the Damara Fold Belt resulting in encountering of significant hydrocarbons, extended our acreage position into Angola at a low cost of entry and expanded our asset portfolio into offshore Gabon to help balance our investment risk profile. These actions set the Company up for several important milestones in 2026.

We are preparing for the production test at Kavango West 1X next year after only our second exploration well drilled in the Damara Fold Belt, a unique position to be in when exploring a new basin. Our teams are working on procuring the equipment needed for this test which is expected to commence operations by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

While recently visiting Namibia after our Kavango West 1X well results, the partnership group operated by ReconAfrica and including NAMCOR and BW Energy, had the privilege of meeting Her Excellency President Nandi-Ndaitwah. We are grateful for the President’s recognition of the significance of hydrocarbons encountered in the Kavango West well and how the partnership can help support onshore hydrocarbon development and the long-term energy supply for Namibia,” said Brian Reinsborough, President and CEO.

As Angola gears up for its upcoming licensing round, Viridien has announced a new multi-client seismic reimaging programme over Angola’s highly prospective offshore Block 22

The 4,300 sq km high-end data set will bring valuable insight into underexplored structures along the Atlantic Hinge zone, following the same trend as the proven Cameia and Golfinho fields. Fast-track results are scheduled for delivery in Q1 2026 and final products in Q3/Q4 2026.

The Block 22 data set will be reimaged by using Viridien's latest proven proprietary technologies, including time-lag FWI, Q-FWI, Q-Kirchhoff and advanced deghosting and demultiple. This data will complement its 2,900 sq km of data over nearby block 20/11, giving operators access to a combined regional coverage of over 7,200 sq km of ultramodern broadband PSDM data to conduct regional pre-salt and post-salt play evaluation in the Kwanza Basin.

Dechun Lin, Head of Earth Data, Viridien, said, “Viridien is delighted to continue its strong relationship with Angola's national energy agency, ANPG (Agência Nacional de Petróleo, Gás e Biocombustíveis), and longstanding presence in Angola by committing to this new reimaging project which will support their important upcoming licensing round. We have the most modern 3D broadband seismic data available offshore Angola and will continue to generate value from it to provide critical support for industry decision-making and help to increase exploration success.”

The three-well drilling campaign by Rex International Holding Limited in the Seme Field, Benin, goes on as the floating storage & offloading (FSO) unit has arrived and is at the anchorage

The mooring system is currently being installed and will be hooked up with a flowline to the mobile offshore production unit (MOPU). Before the MOPU arrives this month, the team is working on remedial actions to address certain technical issues that the campaign had been facing. While this may lead to some delays, production start-up is being targeted by December end.

Akrake Petroleum Benin SA holds a 76% interest in the Seme Field in Block 1, Benin, and is the operator. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lime Petroleum Holding AS, an 89.74 per cent subsidiary of Rex. 

The campaign involves a 100-day three-well work-programme to redevelop the Seme Field. This will see the drilling of  two horizontal production wells in the H6 formation (previously developed), as well as a deeper vertical appraisal well to gather data from the H7 and H8 reservoirs, to facilitate the potential advancement to Phase 2 of the development.

The production start-up and optimisation in the Seme Field will be backed by additional data on the subsurface alongside the existing 3D seismic that has been reprocessed by the team. 

Following Coral South, Mozambique's second floating liquefied natural gas project, Coral North development, is ready for engineering, procurement, construction, and installation work in water depths of approximately 2,000 m

As TechnipFMC will be delivering the contract, the company's president-subsea,Jonathan Landes, said, “We are excited to once again work with Eni and their consortium partners in Mozambique. We will leverage our experience gained from the successful delivery of Coral South—the world’s first FLNG project in ultradeep water—by replicating our proven playbook with an enhanced approach.”

The contract will require TechnipFMC to manufacture and install flexible flowlines and risers, alongside subsea manifolds and umbilicals. 

TechnipFMC has secured the contract from the project's operator, Eni, who reached the final investment decision of the Coral North project in October this year, and aims delivery by 2028. 

While Eni is leading the venture with a 50% share, other partners include CNPC (20%), Kogas (10%), ENH (10%) and ADNOC-subsidiary XRG (10%). Eni will be investing on the development of a state-of-the-art floating LNG facility in the Rovuma Basin, where it will be generating gas volumes from the northern part of Area’s 4 Coral gas reservoir. 

The Coral North development follows the success of the Coral South project, which effectively continues to be in production. 

China Zambia Petrochemical Corporation will push ahead with its US$1.1bn crude oil refinery project in Ndola as it has received the Investment License from the Zambia Development Agency

A Special Purpose Vehicle jointly established by the Industrial Development Corporation and Fujian Xiang Xin Corporation, China Zambia Petrochemical Corporation will advance the refinery project as a significant driver of employment generation and economic stability in the region, making a positive difference for the rapidly evolving Ndola Industrial Zone. During the construction phase alone, the refinery will create more than 2,200 jobs. Once operational, it will sustain more than 600 direct and over 2,000 indirect jobs, with comprehensive skills-transfer and certified training programmes designed to build a highly capable local workforce with expertise in advanced petrochemical operations. This will solidify Zambia's energy security and stabilise fuel supply as the country will not have to rely as hevily on the import of refined petroleum products.

Set to begin operations starting next year, the refinery is expected to process 3 mn tonnes of crude oil annually. This staggering quantity will not only surpass Zambia's national fuel demand but also easily cover regional export markets. 

An integrated energy complex, the refinery will gear Zambia's downstream growth, ranging from LPG bottling and bitumen production to lubricants blending. Additional spill over investments are anticipated in storage infrastructure, rail upgrades, and feedstock supply for manufacturing plastics, fertilisers, synthetic materials, and asphalt. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are expected to benefit significantly through opportunities in logistics, maintenance, catering, and specialised support services.

"Today's handover of the Investment License marks a decisive shift from commitment to execution. This project is a cornerstone of our industrialisation strategy and a timely response to the country's need for affordable, reliable, and locally produced energy. Through CZPC, we are driving a transformative venture that will create jobs, enhance national self-sufficiency, and support long-term economic growth," said IDC CEO Mr Cornwell Muleya.

"FJXX is honoured to advance this project into its implementation phase in partnership with the Government of Zambia through IDC. With more than two decades of Industrial experience, we are committed to deploying advanced engineering technologies that will deliver a world-class refinery for the benefit of the Zambian people and the broader region," said Mr Huang Tieming, Chairperson of Fujian Xiang Xin Corporation (FJXX).

Oil Review Africa catches up with Christopher Hudson, President of dmg events, ahead of ADIPEC 2025

Excerpts from an interview: 

Energy across Africa, as elsewhere in the world, is seeing major shifts and advancements. How does ADIPEC 2025 reflect this changing industry landscape and help meet the needs? 

Energy is one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving sectors. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global energy demand rose by 2.2% last year, outpacing the average annual increase of 1.3% recorded over the last decade. At the same time, the global population is projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, with over 750 million people still lacking access to electricity, and more than 2.1 billion people remain without access to clean cooking. Rising urbanisation and living standards are reshaping energy demand, with air conditioning alone expected to be one of the largest contributors to electricity demand growth in the coming decades. This reveals the sector’s increasing need to not only produce more energy but to produce it in a way that is equitable and sustainable.

In this context, ADIPEC 2025 is being held under the theme of ‘Energy. Intelligence. Impact’. It reflects a simple but powerful truth: meeting the world’s growing need for secure, affordable and sustainable energy will depend on how intelligently we harness every resource – human, technological and natural – to deliver meaningful results for economies and communities alike.

At its core, the theme recognises that intelligence – both human and artificial – is transforming the way energy is produced, managed, and consumed. From AI-driven optimisation and digital integration to advances in hydrogen, LNG, and decarbonisation, intelligent innovation is reshaping the global energy landscape. ADIPEC serves as the meeting point for these forces, where ideas translate into action and impact can be measured in investment, policy, and progress.

AI is a major topic of discussion in the context of energy, due to its high demand. How is ADIPEC responding to the challenges and opportunities of the AI-energy nexus? 

Artificial intelligence is reshaping both global energy demand and the industry’s ability to respond. Data centres already consume around 1.5% of global electricity, and with AI workloads, that demand could more than double by 2030, rising from 415 TWh to 945 TWh. A single advanced AI model can require as much electricity to train as 100 households use in a year, while an AI query may consume 10 times more energy than a standard search.

This convergence is both a challenge and an opportunity. AI requires enormous energy, but it can also optimise grids, cut waste, improve operational efficiency, and accelerate decarbonisation. At ADIPEC 2025, we have expanded our AI Zone into five experiential areas showcasing how AI is transforming systems, people, and infrastructure. Alongside this, more than 80 conference sessions are dedicated to the AI–energy nexus, from predictive analytics to governance frameworks.

For Africa, this is particularly significant. Many countries are rapidly digitalising while also expanding power systems. The ability of AI to enhance reliability and reduce costs could be transformative for energy access and economic growth.

How is the diversity of the African continent and its vast energy sector reflected across ADIPEC 2025’s programme? 

Africa is a core part of ADIPEC’s community. This year, we are proud to welcome a strong delegation of African ministers and leaders, including those from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, and Egypt. Their participation enriches ADIPEC’s Strategic Conference and exhibitions, ensuring Africa’s perspectives are reflected in discussions on natural gas, hydrogen, downstream, and low-carbon solutions.

dmg events is also the largest organiser of energy and infrastructure events across Africa, with long-standing operations in Nigeria, Mozambique, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa, Egypt and Morocco. This presence gives us a unique vantage point to bridge African priorities with global dialogue.

Africa holds some of the world’s largest reserves of natural gas, oil, and minerals, as well as enormous potential in renewables. ADIPEC is committed to supporting this potential by convening African voices alongside global leaders, unlocking partnerships that can expand access, accelerate industrialisation, and strengthen Africa’s contribution to global energy progress.

Some of ADIPEC 2025’s notable African speakers include: Honourable J. Opiyo Wandayi, Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, Kenya; Honourable Sen. Dr. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister for State (Oil), Petroleum Resources, Nigeria; Rt. Honourable Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister for State (Gas) Petroleum Resources, Nigeria; Honourable Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, Nigeria; Honourable Julius D. Mattai, Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Republic of Sierra Leone; Honourable Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Uganda; His Excellency Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Arab Republic of Egypt; His Excellency Antonio Oburu Ondo, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, Equatorial Guinea, Honorable Julius D. Mattai, Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Republic of Sierra Leonne; Honourable July Moyo, Minister of Energy and Power Development, Zimbabwe; His Excellency Nani Juwara, Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Gambia; Honourable Cheikh Niane, Deputy Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Senegal, and Mathias Katamba, board chairman, Uganda National Oil Company.