The infill well might add to the FSO capacity. (Image source: Vaalco Energy)

To reach optimised production results, Vaalco Energy has begun the spudding of the ET-15 infill well on the Etame platform as part of Phase Three Drilling Programme offshore Gabon

This infill well is anticipated to significantly add to the production generation capacity of the floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO) that is operational on the Etame Block since 2022 following an extensive transition and field reconfiguration process. While a low cost solution, the FSO boasts of a high storage capacity and improved operational performance. It has helped Vaalco reach  operational excellence, and production uptime and enhancement.

George Maxwell, Vaalco’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are excited to commence our drilling campaign in offshore Gabon and are beginning the near-term series of value creation catalysts that we outlined to the market in our Capital Markets Day presentation this past May. The drilling rig arrived in late November, and we have spud our first well, the ET-15. We are initiating the programme at the Etame platform with this infill well and the pilot holes. After drilling at the Etame platform, we expect to move the rig to the SEENT and Ebouri platforms where we have several wells and workovers planned to enhance production, lower costs and potentially add reserves. As we enter 2026, with major projects underway in both Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire, we are looking to drive meaningful growth that we believe will translate into value for our shareholders for the remainder of the decade.”

As previously announced, the Company secured a drilling rig in December 2024 in conjunction with its Phase Three Drilling Programme, with an affiliate of Borr Drilling. 

TotalEnergies and Galp will launch an exploration and appraisal campaign in Namibia. (Image source: Total Energies)

In keeping with TotalEnergies' asset-swapping approach in Africa, the major has now concluded an agreement with Galp in Namibia, similar to its last deal in Nigeria with Conoil 

As per the agreement, the oil giant will be acquiring from Galp a 40% operated interest in PEL83, which includes the Mopane discovery. Alongside supporting the initial development of PEL83, it will also cover 50% of Galp’s capital expenditures for the exploration and appraisal of the Mopane discovery. Galp will then return the favour by sharing 50% of its future cash flows from the project. 

On the other hand, it will also acquire from TotalEnergies a 10% participating interest in PEL56, which includes the Venus discovery, and a 9.39% participating interest in PEL91. 

The partners will launch an exploration and appraisal campaign including three wells over the next two years, with a first well planned in 2026, to further derisk resources and progress diligently toward the development of the Mopane discovery.

Concurrently, TotalEnergies, operator of PEL56, remains fully committed to the development of the Venus discovery and is working to secure all conditions enabling a potential final investment decision in 2026.

"We are very happy to have been selected by Galp as their partner and operator for the prolific PEL83 license, including the Mopane discovery in Namibia. This is a strong recognition of the exploration and deepwater competences of TotalEnergies teams. This transaction demonstrates also the strong confidence of TotalEnergies towards Namibia as a future oil producing country. TotalEnergies will leverage its recognised operatorship track record to progress towards profitable and sustainable developments of both Venus and Mopane discoveries. By enabling the creation of a producing hub in Namibia, we aim to achieve synergies that will create long-term value for both Namibia and the stakeholders," said Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies. "We are eager to keep building on our collaboration with the Namibian authorities in order to deliver both developments."

Completion of the transaction is subject to customary third party approvals from the Nambian authorities and joint ventures parties, with completion expected to occur in 2026.

Other partners involved the Blocks include Namcor, Custos, QatarEnergy, and Impact. 

NUPRC's Project 1MMBOPD Additional Production Investment Forum. (Image source: NUPRC)

On the occasion of its Project 1MMBOPD Additional Production Investment Forum held in London, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced the commencement of the 2025 Licensing Round effective 1 December 2025

Noting that the licensing round has been designed in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, the NUPRC chief executive, Gbenga Komolafe, said, "One of the factors that affected business is that activities were happening in silos but the NUPRC now realises the need to bring everyone together,” before adding, “We want you all to network. Bank of America is here as well as representatives of other banks.” 

He highlighted funding as the biggest challenge in Nigeria's upstream sector right now, and NUPRC's urgency in overcoming the issue, while speaking at the forum before the CEOs of oil companies, bank representatives and potential investors, among others.

As the session saw a lot of brainstorming in making the additional one million barrels a reality, Komolafe acknowledged the significance of the reforms initiated by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration in boosting Nigeria’s economic metrics. He cited his statements with Nigeria's progress in crude production, which now averages 1.71 mn bopd, with a peak daily output of 1.83 mn bopd.

Komolafe further noted that 46 field development plans (FDPs) had been approved from January 2025 till date, and the country's rig count has crossed 60, out of which at least 40 are active. The chief executive highlighted how these metrics spoke for themselves when it comes to prospects for investments, and said, “The drive to reach and sustain one million barrels per day in incremental capacity and beyond will require Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units for cluster developments, Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessels for crude evacuation and storage, and a variety of Modular Offshore Production Units and Early Production Facilities to enable early production and accelerated monetisation. All these need investments and the prospects are here in Nigeria.” 

Other delegates in the forum, including Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), and Senator Eteng Williams, assured investors of Nigeria's business friendly laws as they spoke before key oil and gas players. These comprised the Seplat CEO, Roger Brown, managing director, TotalEnergies Nigeria, Mattieu Bouyer, managing director of ExxonMobil Nigeria, Jagir Baxi, and chairman, AA Holdings, Austin Avuru, to name a few. 

The company will be testing the well to establish flow rates.

Reconnaissance Energy Africa has completed drilling operations at the Kavango West 1X well located on Petroleum Exploration Licence 73 onshore Namibia 

Brian Reinsborough, president and CEO, said, “ReconAfrica is excited to announce that the Kavango West 1X well has encountered hydrocarbon pay in the Otavi reservoir section. The results from this well have allowed the Company to proceed to a success case evaluation, which includes conducting a production test of prospective intervals to determine deliverability characteristics from the well. We are excited about what the results mean for the future of the Damara Fold Belt play on ReconAfrica’s lease position onshore Namibia which covers over six million prospective acres. I am also very proud of the ReconAfrica team who drilled this well safely, on schedule and on budget with strong local stakeholder engagement.”

The well reached a total depth (TD) of 4,200 m (13,800 ft) and conducted an extensive wireline logging programme. The well has been temporally abandoned and will be re-entered once testing equipment arrives in the first quarter of 2026.

Extensive wireline logging indicates ~85 m (~280 ft) of net reservoir with 64 m (210 ft) of net hydrocarbon pay across a gross interval of ~400 m (~1,300 ft) containing multiple limestone reservoir units. Mud and gas samples have been collected throughout the well and will be sent to the Unites States for analysis. No core samples were taken in this well.

Next, the company will be testing the well to establish flow rates from intervals of interest. This will help study the positive indications of hydrocarbon-saturated reservoirs based on wireline logs and oil and gas shows in addition to interpreted natural fractures in the limestone reservoir units, which should enhance deliverability of hydrocarbons.

A production test will be conducted to determine the deliverability characteristics of the intervals of interest within the Otavi carbonate section. The production test will be run in 5-inch production casing with Tubing-Conveyed Perforations (TCP) to selectively perforate intervals based on where hydrocarbon pay has been identified on wireline logs and where significant oil and gas shows were encountered. Intervals of interest will be the 64 metres of hydrocarbon pay identified on wireline logs and an additional 61 metres of oil and gas shows identified in the deeper sections where interpreted natural fractures in the limestone reservoir units should enhance deliverability of hydrocarbons. Planning and logistics have begun for this test, which is anticipated to occur in the first quarter of 2026 and should run for approximately one month in duration.