26 blocks will be auctioned. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The Government of Tanzania will be auctioning 26 petroleum exploration blocks through the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) to attract investment flow in the country's oil and gas industry, said the director general of PURA, Charles Sangweni, at the 11th East African Petroleum Conference and Exhibition (EAPCE’25) held recently in Dar es Salaam

Sangweni said that, of the 26 blocks, 23 are in the deep offshore of the Indian Ocean and three are in Lake Tanganyika.

“The demarcated blocks are located in strategic areas since the deep offshore is where a significant amount of natural gas was discovered and the case of Lake Tanganyika, the Lake is located in the East African Rift System (EARS) where neighboring countries (Kenya and Uganda) discovered oil in basins located in similar geological setting,” said Sangweni.

PURA used the EAPCE’25 as a platform to continue promoting the upcoming licensing round and investment in petroleum exploration blocks in the country for that is one of its responsibilities.

The well was spudded last November. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) and FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company Limited (FIRST E&P) joint venture have announced a hydrocarbon discovery in the Songhai Field, located in OML 85 in the shallow offshore region of Bayelsa

The well was spudded last November as part of efforts to increase and sustain the JV’s oil production over the next five years. It was successfully drilled to a total depth of 8,883 feet measured depth (MD) in 30 meters of water. The well encountered hydrocarbons across eight reservoirs, logging over 1,000 feet of hydrocarbon-bearing sands, most of which exhibit excellent reservoir properties. Preliminary analysis indicated substantial oil and gas volumes, reinforcing the field’s commercial potential. Further evaluations, including formation testing and well data integration, will be conducted to refine resource estimates and optimise field development plans.

Speaking on the discovery, Segun Owolabi, general manager, Exploration and Development at FIRST E&P, said "This discovery marks a major milestone in our efforts to unlock the full potential of our assets. The success at Songhai Field underscores the effectiveness of our exploration strategy and our commitment to delivering sustainable value to all stakeholders."

The discovery is strategically important for the joint venture in supporting Nigeria’s production growth and cost optimisation targets. Seyi Omotowa, chief upstream investment officer of NUIMS, noted that the success at Songhai Field aligns with NNPC Limited’s broader upstream objectives. "This aligns with NNPC Limited’s mandate to drive production growth and cost optimisation. The success at Songhai Field reflects our commitment to strategic partnerships, advanced technology, and efficient operations to maximise Nigeria’s hydrocarbon potential sustainably," he said. The discovery also highlights the role of strategic collaboration in expanding Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves.

NNPC Limited’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Mele Kyari, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to efficiency and long-term value creation. "This discovery reaffirms the potential of Nigeria’s offshore assets and the importance of collaboration in boosting reserves and production. NNPC Limited remains committed to driving efficiency and long-term value creation for the nation," Kyari said. Currently, the joint venture maintains a steady daily production of approximately 57,000 barrels of oil per day from its OML 83 and 85 assets. The new discovery in Songhai Field is expected to further enhance production and contribute to Nigeria’s energy security.

Furthermore, the NNPC/FIRST E&P JV remains committed to operational excellence, guided by rigorous safety standards, technical expertise, and efficient project execution. With more than 9 million man-hours of LTI-free operations, the JV continues to lead in safe and responsible hydrocarbon development. This milestone strengthens Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, reinforcing the JV’s role in supporting the Federal Government’s goal of increasing national hydrocarbon production and reserves while ensuring sustainable energy growth.

Savannah plans an 18-month expansion programme at Stubb Creek. (Image source: Savannah Energy)

British independent energy company, Savannah Energy PLC, has completed the acquisition of Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Nigeria Limited (SIPEC), whose principal asset includes 49% non-operated interest in the Stubb Creek oil & gas field 

The Stubb Creek field is operated by Savannah-affiliate Universal Energy Resources Limited with a 51% ownership. 

The acquisition boosts Savannah's reserves and resources base by approximately 30% from 151mn barrel of oil equivalent to 197mn boe, and adds 227bn standard cubic feet of 2C gross gas resources at Stubb Creek Field. This ensures a long-term feedstock gas back up for commercial purposes. 

The Stubb Creek field will be prepared for further production boost to approximately 4.7k bopd from the current 2.7kbopd as Savannah plans an 18-month expansion programme. "We are delighted to announce the completion of the SIPEC Acquisition - the achievement of one of our core business priorities for 2025. Our focus at the Stubb Creek Field will now turn to progressing the expansion project, which we expect to increase production by almost three quarters over the course of 2025/26," said Andrew Knott, Chief Executive Officer of Savannah.

Stubb Creek Field, located in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, is a producing oil field with considerable undeveloped, non-associated 2C gas resources. Commercial oil production started at Stubb Creek Field in 2015, with cumulative production of 8.1 MMstb to 31 December 2024. Oil produced at Stubb Creek Field is processed through production facilities onsite and then exported to the Qua Iboe terminal via a 25 km pipeline. The Stubb Creek Field was converted to a 20-year petroleum mining lease, PML20, in accordance with the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and effective from 1 December 2023.

High hopes in the Niger Delta for Africa Oil (IMAGE SOURCE: Adobe Stock)

Canada’s Africa Oil Corporation has said it hopes to double output and reserves from Nigeria after it takes on full ownership of the privately-owned Netherlands-based company, Prime Oil & Gas, in the coming week

“On closing of that deal we will significantly change the scale of our business, we will double production, we double reserves and significantly boost our liquidity position,” Oliver Quinn, chief commercial officer at Africa Oil told Reuters news agency in an interview.

Assets held by Prime Oil & Gas Coöperatief U.A. — formerly known as Petrobras Oil & Gas — include indirect stakes in deepwater producing Nigerian fields operated by heavyweights Chevron and TotalEnergies.

The non-operating player has a stake in key oil blocks such as PML 2, 3, 4, and PML 52, in the Niger Delta region.

Following the acquisition, Africa Oil expects to produce around 35,000 barrels per day (bpd), Quinn told Reuters.

“They are very significant value barrels because they have very low lifting cost of under US$10, so the margin on the barrels is high and typically sell at premium to Brent.”

As well as boosting its presence in Nigeria, the company has a foothold in Namibia’s dynamic Orange Basin, arguably the hottest exploration property in Africa right now, with a stake in Impact Oil and Gas and exposure to the Venus discovery.

Africa Oil also has exposure to Equatorial Guinea, another major West African oil and gas producer.

On 27 February, Africa Oil’s president and CEO, Roger Tucker, presenting the company’s full-year results for 2024, said it had been a “transformative year” already, and one that will be enhanced again with the acquisition of Prime Oil & Gas.

“This transformational milestone will significantly enhance our scale, financial strength, and ability to deliver meaningful shareholder value,” he said, referring to the acquisition.

"The enlarged Africa Oil will benefit from robust long-term free cash flows and a strong balance sheet with low leverage. We will have direct interests in producing assets in Nigeria, complemented by funded development and exploration projects in the prolific Orange Basin.”

In Namibia, a final investment decision on the Venus discovery by operator TotalEnergies is expected to be taken in 2026, which could further swell Africa Oil’s production numbers.

“Our focus is to add to the cash generation machine, which runs through the decade while on the backend Namibia Venus comes onstream and then we have significant growth in that asset,” Quinn told Reuters.

Read more:

Africa Oil aims for high impact exploration

Orange Basin to be a top drilling zone in 2025 finds Westwood