The permit spans 1,000 sq km and lies 100 kilometers off the coast of Pointe-Noire. (Image source: TotalEnergies)

A new exploration project is brewing in the Republic of Congo as TotalEnergies, alongside QatarEnergy (35%) and the national company SNPC (15%), wins Operatorship with 50% interests in the Nzombo exploration permit

A work programme has been designed to initiate spudding by the year-end so that drilling activities for one of the wells can begin soon after. The permit spans 1,000 sq km and lies 100 kilometers off the coast of Pointe-Noire, close to the Moho production facilities operated by TotalEnergies EP Congo.

"This award of a promising Exploration permit, with the material Nzombo prospect, reflects our continued strategy of expanding our Exploration portfolio with high impact prospects, which can be developed leveraging our existing facilities, and confirms our longstanding partnership with the Republic of the Congo," said Kevin McLachlan, senior vice-president for Exploration at TotalEnergies.

James Christie, new regional director for Africa and Europe, STR. (Image source: STR)

With a special focus for expansion across Africa and Europe, Subsea Technology & Rentals has made a fresh appointment of a regional director to address strategic growth and full field development experience 

Operations in these regions will be managed out of Aberdeen, spearheaded by James Christie, who has been with Ashtead Technology previously, bringing in more than 25 years of industry experience. Christie has also spent more than 10 years of his career with Subsea7 in operational roles.

“James joins us at a hugely exciting time for STR as we continue to grow at pace, diversify our product and service offering and enter new markets. Meeting evolving customer demand remains central to our strategy, with more clients choosing to collaborate with us on new product development programmes, partnering with us beyond traditional rental models.

“James brings a highly strategic approach to growth and full field development experience spanning operations, inspection, and maintenance to decommissioning, which will support our ambition to diversify and strengthen our service offering to our customers,” said Steve Steele, CEO of STR. 

Christie's impressive track record of developing strong client relationships and technical prowess will significantly add to STR's consistent market presence with more than US$10mn investments in technology and innovation, and atleast two product launches annually.

“I am thrilled to be joining STR at such a pivotal time as the business has become firmly recognised as a subsea technology leader and continues to invest, creating value for customers and bringing new challenger products to market. I look forward to further strengthening customer partnerships, supporting the growth ambition, and enhancing our focus and footprint across key global regions,” said Christie. 

The FPU will serve as the control hub for the entire offshore development.

Saipem has successfully converted the Scarabeo 5 semi-submersible drilling unit into a Floating Production Unit (FPU) for Eni’s Congo LNG Project, a key development for the country’s first natural gas liquefaction initiative

This milestone, awarded to Saipem in August 2023, marks the transformation of the Scarabeo 5 into a floating gas treatment facility, which will be installed offshore, northwest of the Djeno Terminal, at a depth of 35 metres. The FPU will serve as the control hub for the entire offshore development.

Built in the early 1990s, the Scarabeo 5 was selected for conversion due to its strong operational features. The transformation, completed in less than 24 months, showcases Saipem’s fast-track execution capabilities. This is also a prime example of a circular economy, where an asset is reused, reducing waste while maximising operational value. This aligns with both Saipem and Eni’s sustainability goals.

Alongside this, Eni is making significant progress with its Nguya Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) unit. Set to boost LNG production, the Nguya unit is 376 metres long and designed with advanced technology to minimise its carbon footprint. The unit, which will be moored offshore, will help process gas from the Congo Basin and support future developments. The project is on track to reach 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) capacity by the end of 2025, following the successful start-up of the Tango FLNG unit in 2023.

The refurbished Scarabeo 5 will also send processed gas to the Nguya FLNG unit, further solidifying its role in the LNG production chain. Eni’s commitment to sustainable development is evident through these projects, aimed at reducing costs, enhancing efficiency, and ensuring minimal environmental impact.

Eni has been instrumental in Congo’s energy development for over 55 years, contributing to the country’s energy security and social initiatives.

This marks a significant milestone for offshore exploration in Ghana. (Image credit: Shearwater)

Shearwater Geoservices has secured the contract to carry out Ghana's first deepwater Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) seismic survey in the Jubilee and TEN fields, operated by Tullow Oil and its partners

This marks a significant milestone for offshore exploration in Ghana. The two-month survey is set to begin in the final quarter of 2025.

This project follows Shearwater's successful deployment of the SW Tasman vessel and Pearl node OBN platform in other West African countries, including Côte d'Ivoire and Angola. 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.

Irene Waage Basili, CEO of Shearwater, said, "These projects demonstrate Shearwater’s role in pioneering new technology in new regions, delivering operational excellence and industry-leading survey efficiency and data quality. By delivering the first OBN project in Ghana and other surveys across this part of Africa, we are opening new geophysical frontiers – combining precision, innovation and commitment to responsible resource exploration."

The Jubilee and TEN fields have been at the heart of Tullow's operations for nearly 20 years. This first deepwater OBN survey is expected to improve reservoir imaging, offering deeper insights for future field development and production strategies. It follows a previous streamer survey carried out by Shearwater over the same fields earlier in 2025.