Gabon has awarded 13 oil and gas blocks to 11 energy companies as part of a deepwater licensing round, which the country hopes will help double its output to 500,000 bpd

Serica Energy has announced that it has commenced drilling operations in the Foum Draa Licence offshore Morocco

South Sudan has announced plans to start the bidding of new petroleum exploration blocks by the end of 2013 following the completion of mapping of the blocks

Tullow Oil suspended drilling operations on two oil exploration blocks in northwest Kenya last weekend following protests by local residents demanding more jobs at the sites