E&P

Chevron makes discovery in Block 0 offshore Angola

Chevron will be assessing the tie-back potential of the discovery.

Chevron Corporation-subsidiary, Cabinda Gulf Oil Company Limited (CABGOC), has discovered oil and gas condensate at the 105-4X exploration well in Block 0 offshore Angola

Drilled in the prolific Lower Congo Basin, the well encountered an oil and gas condensate column of more than 600 meters (2,000 feet) in the primary Pinda reservoir, with more than 90 meters (300 feet) of net pay in excellent reservoir quality.

In line with its optimised production approach, Chevron will be assessing the tie-back potential of the discovery as the major has existing facilities nearby.

“This discovery is another important milestone for Chevron’s over 70-year history in Angola,” said Kevin McLachlan, vice president - exploration, Chevron. “By combining high-impact exploration with infrastructure-led opportunities close to existing facilities, we are growing our resource base, creating value, and demonstrating that our strategy is delivering, as well as our continued confidence in Angola’s resource potential.”

Block 0 is operated by CABGOC, which holds a 39.2 per cent working interest, and is co-owned by Sonangol E&P (41 percent working interest), TotalEnergies (10 percent working interest) and Azule Energy (9.8 percent working interest).

This discovery will significantly add to Chevron's well-established exploration programme in sub-Saharan Africa, from where it sources a combined production count of 300 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day net. Existing resource base and active exploration programme across the region is positioned to sustain and grow production into the future.

Over the last year, Chevron has been focussed on selecting high quality exploration acreage from Africa to its existing portfolio. In Nigeria, the company farmed into two offshore blocks last year (PPL2000 and PPL2001) and was awarded a deepwater block PPL2010 in the country's latest bid round. Chevron has also had three near-field exploration successes – Meji NW-1, South Delta AA and Awodi-07 – in Nigeria since late 2024, where it is continuing an ongoing exploration and appraisal program. In Guinea-Bissau Chevron has secured three blocks including the newly acquired Block 4B which closed on 13 August 2026, while in Equatorial Guinea it has secured an additional five-block reconnaissance licenses.

Aligned with its exploration strategy, Chevron is preparing a high-impact, multi-well exploration programme across the region, including Namibia’s Nabba-1X well on PEL90 before year-end.

These initiatives underscore Chevron's confidence in the region's resource potential and its disciplined approach to building long-term value through high-impact, frontier exploration.

Equinor enters Orange Basin with acquisition deal from Harmattan

The agreement gives Equinor access to a drill-ready prospect. (Image source: Equinor)

Equinor has stepped into Namibia with the acquisition of a 17.4% participating interest in Petroleum Exploration Licence 90 (PEL 90) in Orange Basin

The strategically secured agreement with Chevron subsidiary, Harmattan Energy, gives Equinor access to a drill-ready prospect that is scheduled for testing this year.

“This transaction aligns with our strategy to strengthen and replenish our international portfolio through focused and disciplined growth. Namibia is a promising basin that adds attractive option value to our portfolio and complements our broader Atlantic Margin position,” said Philippe Mathieu, executive vice president for exploration and production international.

The licence relates to Block 2813B in the Orange Basin, offshore Namibia, and is operated by Chevron. Prior to the transaction, Chevron’s subsidiary owned an interest of 52.5% in PEL 90, with the other partners in the licence being QatarEnergy (27.5%), Custos-subsidiary Trago Energy (10%) and the state-owned oil company NAMCOR (10%).

From Harmattan's end, this seems like a risk diversification move since January when the company had reported no commercial hydrocarbons from the licence's Kapana 1-X exploration well.

Harmattan, however, had acknowledged the data acquired from exploration operations as hopeful in terms of future programmes on PEL 90. “The geologic insights and improved confidence in the future programme on PEL 90 from these operations provides strong support for continued progress and value in our portfolio in Namibia’s Orange Basin,” said Knowledge Katti, chairman and CEO of Custos.

“We look forward to the many opportunities ahead to further unveil the quality of our unmatched position in the heart of the Orange Basin including the future activity on PEL 90 and the ongoing activity on PEL 83”. added Robert Bose, CEO of Sintana Energy, which enjoys a 49% indirect interest in Custos Energy.

ReconAfrica to begin open-hole horizontal testing onshore Namibia

Jarvie-1 rig will drill horizontal sidetrack laterals. (Image source: ReconAfrica)

Reconnaissance Energy Africa has completed vertical production testing on the Kavango West 1X (KW1X) well onshore Namibia, and is preparing to mobilise the Jarvie-1 rig to commence open-hole horizontal production testing operations in the Huttenberg formation, targeting up to 1,000 metres

The vertical production testing programme helped identify up to two well zones that contained hydrocarbons capable of flowing to surface. Natural gas and potential liquids flowed to surface from the upper Huttenberg as well as the upper Elandshoek zones. While targeting the Huttenberg zone of interest, flow was generated immediately upon perforation, even before subjection to acid stimulation, and was flared through the relief flare stack.

To achieve similar promising results from the four other zones of the well which are considerably shallower than the Elandshoek, open-hole horizontal production test was the best option available to target reservoir section previously untouched by production casing, cement and perforations. Completing the well open hole, without casing or cement, tends to maximise flow from fractures. This decision was reached on the basis of original well log analysis that indicated 75 metres of pay while confirming presence of matrix porosity between large natural fractures with inclinations of 50-90 degrees. These largely vertical fractures need complementing with perpendicularly drilled horizontal wells to hit the sweet spot.

“We are excited to report another critical milestone of the KW1X production test, which is achieving our primary objective of proving the flow of hydrocarbons to surface, this time from the uppermost zone of the Huttenberg formation. The vertical cased-hole phase of testing at KW1X is now complete and with the significant data and technical information gathered from this test, we have a high level of confidence moving forward with an open-hole horizontal production test in the Huttenberg formation.

"Importantly, KW1X's well results do not just validate a single structure; it also opens running room across the block. We have mapped 22 structures using existing seismic data and anticipate the inventory could grow with additional seismic coverage on PEL 73. We also believe our acreage in Angola could add additional structures to our inventory. These results have made critical steps to derisk and open a new play fairway.

Confirming the KW1X results with a flow rate test on a horizontal sidetrack as soon as possible will ultimately support resource and reserve bookings and a final investment decision on this emerging Damara Fold Belt Play," said Reconnaissance's President and CEO, Brian Reinsborough.

Horizontal development of the Damara Fold Belt structures is also expected to reduce surface land disturbance as well as the number of wells required per structure, resulting in lower field development costs and improved capital efficiency.

Based on formation imaging log analysis from wells drilled through the Otavi reservoir, the Jarvie-1 rig will drill the horizontal sidetrack laterals near fractures ranging 1.0 to 12.7 per metre running parallel to the fold structure. Two high pressure pumps, a swabbing unit and additional supporting equipment have been procured to effectively initiate the drilling and production testing operations. ReconAfrica has contracted H2OIL to conduct surface operations and provide additional surface equipment, including an appropriately sized separator unit. Halliburton will continue to provide downhole equipment and services.

Sonatrach accelerates upstream decarbonisation with Eni

The new agreement widens the scope of collaboration.

To put in place decarbonisation practices while working together on concessions, Algeria's state-owned oil company, Sonatrach, has signed a new Memorandum of Intent with Italian oil major, Eni, with international best practices in mind

The latest signing is built on a three-year Memorandum of Intent that was originally secured in 2023, committing to reducing gas flaring, valourising recovered gas, and mitigating emissions associated with upstream activities in Algeria.

The new agreement widens the scope of collaboration, including natural CO₂ removal initiatives through forestry projects, and advance monitoring, quantification and reduction of methane emissions based on international Oil & Gas standards.

The new Memorandum of Intent builds on the previous one by further broadening the scope of cooperation and introducing new areas of collaboration. In particular, the parties will cooperate in the field of natural CO₂ removal initiatives through forestry projects and will strengthen activities for the monitoring, quantification and reduction of methane emissions through the adoption relevant international oil & gas standards.

The technical analyses, capacity building initiatives and field visits that made up the carefully structured 2023 agreement have materialised in reduced fugitive and venting emissions, and flaring while boosting energy efficiency and unlocking opportunities for carbon capture, utilisation and storage. It has also produced technicians with new skills in generating the right measurements in terms of greenhouse gas and methane emissions reductions.

The most innovative outcome of the 2023 agreement has been the Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) campaign, which was carried out across 800 km of pipelines, with around 7,500 monitored points and relevant reduction of fugitive emissions. LDAR measurement campaigns are now conducted autonomously on a routine basis in all joint ventures jointly operated by Eni and Sonatrach.

The evaluation of the baseline emissions was also carried out in six upstream assets operated by Eni and Sonatrach in the country.

Saipem bags drilling contract in Ivory Coast

The drillship Santorini offshore Ivory Coast.

Saipem has been awarded a new offshore drilling contract by Eni Ivory Coast, which is worth US$260mn

The contract particulars include deployment of the drillship Santorini offshore Ivory Coast for a long-term development drilling campaign, with operations scheduled to begin in early 2027. There will also be scope for an extended drilling programme, with the potential deployment of the rig in neighbouring countries as well as additional optional periods. This arrangement secures for Saipem long-term visibility and continuity of the unit’s future utilisation.

This new award confirms Saipem's competitive positioning in offshore drilling, as well as its ability to efficiently deploy its high-specification assets in support of clients' exploration, appraisal and development activities.

Saipem has also bagged a million euro contract offshore Ivory Coast for the third development phase of Eni's Baleine project.

Saipem will be overseeing the engineering, fabrication, transportation and installation work at water depths up to 1,300 meters, building approximately 50 km of rigid pipelines and associated subsea structures. The project aligns with the energy services provider's reputation in delivering complex energy infrastructures of strategic importance to global operators.

Construction vessels FDS and Shen Da will be deployed for around three years to support operations of scale, involving the transportation and installation of flexible risers, flexible jumpers, subsea production systems and a 3-km-long flexible gas export flowline, as well as 22 km of subsea umbilical.

The strategically significant offshore project's engineering, procurement and construction works across multiple wells will be undertaken by SLB's OneSubsea joint venture. This will involve the installation of complete subsea production systems (SPS) for 13 wells.

This contract will support the entire well life cycle, starting with the installation of subsea trees, umbilical, manifolds, multiphase flowmeters and control systems, through to commissioning and life-of-field services. This integrated approach will streamline execution and support the project’s fast-track development schedule.