Exploration

Fourth well of 2022 in Orange Basin was a failure. What’s Next?

Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas has announced that its shallow water Gazania-1 well within Block 2B offshore South Africa did not encounter commercial hydrocarbons. The well was the fourth one to be drilled this year in the Orange Basin following Graff-1 (Shell), Venus-1 (TotalEnergies) and La Rona-1 (Shell). Gazania-1 is the only disappointing one so far.

Exploration

Eni to start exploratory drilling offshore Congo

The campaign is expected to start with the drilling of two exploratory wells on Marine VI bis, a block operated by Eni in partnership with Congo’s national oil company, SNPC. The block holds several prospects that have been matured over the past few years, including Mbenga, Poalvou Deep, and Ikalou SW.

M&A

Norway’s DNO enters Côte d’Ivoire’s as it looks for more African oil & gas deals

By acquiring Mondoil Enterprises in an all-share transaction, DNO gains a 33.33% indirect interest in Foxtrot International, operator of the producing block CI-27 and exploration block CI-12 in Côte d’Ivoire.

Natural gas

Mauritania: FID expected in 2025 on bp’s new BirAllah gas hub

The new EPSC signed at the end of 2022 provides for 30 months of studies and planning before submitting a development plan for the field, where a final investment decision (FID) is now expected in the first half of 2025.

Renewable Energy

Starsight Energy and SolarAfrica to become one

The merged entity will comprise a portfolio of over 220MW of operated and contracted generation capacity, and 40MWh of operational battery storage, with an additional generation pipeline exceeding 1GW.

Wind

Cape Verde planning expansion of Cabeolica wind farms

Cabeólica S.A., owner of the four wind farms on the islands of Santiago, São Vicente, Sal and Boa Vista in Cape Verde, has signed an MoU for the expansion of its facilities. The MoU targets an expansion of the Santiago facility at Monte São Filipe by 13 MW, along with the installation of 2 x 5 MW energy storage batteries on the islands of Santiago and Sal.

Mining

New joint-venture incorporated to unlock Simandou iron ore blocks development in Guinea

The incorporation of the TransGuinean joint-venture follows the signing of a Framework Agreement in March 2022 to facilitate investment decisions for the co-financing and co-development of the project.

Côte d'Ivoire: Eni increases reserves at Baleine discovery by 25% with second successful well

Italian major Eni has announced the successful drilling and testing of the Baleine East-1X well within Block CI-802 offshore Côte d'Ivoire. This is the first well to be drilled in the block and targeting the Baleine structure discovered in 2021 in the adjacent Block CI-101.

Infrastructure

Angolan Government awards concession tender for critical Lobito Corridor railway

The Angolan Transport Ministry has awarded the 30-year concession for rail services and logistics support over the Lobito Corridor to the consortium of Trafigura (49.5%), Mota-Engil (49.5%), and Vecturis (1%).

Lekela Power sold in “Africa’s biggest renewable energy deal”

Actis and Mainstream Renewable Power have sold Lekela Power to the Infinity Group of Egypt and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

East Africa

Tanzania LNG: HGA expected in December 2022, FID in 2025

The Government of Tanzania signed a Framework Agreement with Equinor and Shell to support negotiations on the Tanzania Gas and LNG Project (TGP). The agreement marks another step towards the signing of the Host Government Agreement (HGA) expected before the end of 2022.

Industrialisation

After Gabon, Togo, and Benin, Arise IIP sets its eyes on Congo-Brazzaville

Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (IIP) has signed yesterday an MoU with the Ministry of International Cooperation and Public-Private Partnership Promotion of the Republic of Congo for the development of two new industrial zones in Pointe-Noire and Ouésso.