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An indigenous integrated energy company from Africa, Heirs Energies has acquired Maurel & Prom SA's entire 20.07% equity stakes in Seplat Energy Plc at a price of GBP3.05 pence per share, adding to a transaction worth approximately US$500mn

The acquisition aligns with Heirs Energies’ long-term strategy to strengthen indigenous participation in strategic assets and accelerate sustainable energy development and security for Nigeria and Africa.

Commenting on the transaction, Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Energies, said, “This acquisition reflects our strong belief in Africa’s ability to own, develop, and responsibly manage its strategic resources. It is a long-term investment in Nigeria’s and Africa’s energy future, and aligns with our mission to drive energy security, industrialisation and shared prosperity. Seplat Energy has built a resilient, well-governed platform with compelling long term prospects, and we are pleased to support its continued growth and value creation for all stakeholders.”

This landmark achievement was supported by two leading African financial institutions—Afreximbank and AFC—further demonstrating Africa’s capacity to finance its own deals.

Shearwater Geoservices has partnered with Harvex Geosolutions and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to begin fresh multi-client seismic project offshore Nigeria

Supported by strong industry funding, the 3D survey is set to start in December 2025. Shearwater is gearing up to deploy its high-end vessel SW Duchess for the project, whereby it will be operational over a period of two months. It will heavily support survey work for extracting high-resolution subsurface data across the Western Niger Delta Basin which, in turn, will influence significant exploration decisions and future license rounds in one of West Africa’s most prospective oil and gas regions.

“This project underscores the growing momentum of our multi-client business and our key role in supporting exploration across key global basins,” said Irene Waage Basili, CEO of Shearwater. “By investing in high-quality seismic data, where we can both capture rapid returns and create longer-term value, we are enabling smarter decisions and helping to shape the future of energy security in West Africa and beyond.” 

Previously, Shearwater also announced service contract offshore Ghana, carrying out the region's first deepwater Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) seismic survey in the Jubilee and TEN fields. This contract was a result of the company's already well-established presence in West African regions, including the deployment of the SW Tasman vessel and Pearl node OBN platform. Since late 2024, these platforms have been instrumental in conducting OBN surveys across the region, starting with Côte d'Ivoire, and continuing with surveys in Angola.

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. 

Egyptian engineering procurement and construction contractor, Petrojet, which is particularly well established in Abu Dhabi, has signed a US$273mn contract to facilitate the construction of a 193 km natural gas pipeline in Oman

Further advancing the rapidly growing mutual cooperation on natural gas infrastructure, the deal was initiated at the presence of Karim Badawi, Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, and Mansoor Ali Al Abdali, Managing Director of OQ Gas Networks (OQGN). 

The contract also finalised the delivery of the first phase of OQGN’s hydrogen pipeline network, which will include 400 km of the planned 2,000 km system at approximately US$250mn.

This contract win will support the company in preparation for the upcoming green hydrogen and Natural Gas Liquids Extraction (NGLE) projects, leveraging its international expertise as Oman expands its new-energy ambitions.

The contract's relevance couldn't have been better timed as it was announced in line with Oman’s Green Hydrogen Summit, where collaboration opportunities were explored. 

The summit also reviewed progress by Engineering for the Petroleum and Process Industries (ENPPI) and Egypt Gas as they complete registration on OQGN’s Tawreed platform. The Duqm Refinery is nearing completion as the companies finalise technical pre-qualification documents for gas pressure reduction stations.

ENPPI, which partners with OQGN, Oman Tank Terminal Company (OTTCO), and Duqm Refinery, remains a key contender for upcoming project tenders. Discussions also highlighted broader Egyptian company participation in Oman’s energy projects.

The Terna Oil Refinery has resumed crude oil refining operations after several years of inactivity

This follows the three-month execution of major turnaround maintenance (TAM) works on the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU). The work was backed by international engineering, safety, and operational standards.

The TAM work was followed by a comprehensive regulatory inspection from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and clearance for the resumption of refining activities. This marked the beginning of refining operations, with an entire line of petroleum products going to storage for the first time in a while.

With the refinery's official recommissioning and a phased transition planned toward attaining full operational capacity, TOR will currently focus in stabilising systems, optimising performance, and ensuring sustained operational reliability. The project will have a significant contribution in the revitalisation of Ghana's downstream petroleum sector.

In addition, TOR has completed the installation of a new furnace, F-61, which will soon be commissioned and integrated into the CDU. This critical upgrade will enable the refinery to restore its original nameplate capacity of 45,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd), up from the current operating level of 28,000 bpsd, with a clear strategic pathway to expand the capacity to 60,000 bpsd in the medium tenn, following the installation of a new Air-Cooler.

The Government of Ghana will formally commission and tie-in the F-61 furnace at a later date.

The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor (MP), has played a major role in this development with his dedication, technical oversight and policy leadership.

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.