GABON LAUNCHES BOLD ENERGY STRATEGY TO UNLOCK NEW OIL FRONTIER IN CENTRAL AFRICA

The campaign seeks to unlock untapped potential in Gabon’s vast sedimentary basin 72% of which remains unexplored.

Garbon Oil and gas exploration campaign Deepwater Energy Investment Africa.

Minister of Oil and Gas of Gabon Sosthène NGUEMA

Gabon is making a bold play to reclaim its status as a regional energy heavyweight with the launch of an ambitious deepwater oil and gas exploration campaign, targeting the largely untouched reserves beneath its Atlantic waters.

Spearheaded by the country’s Minister of Petroleum and Gas, Sosthène Nguema Nguema, the campaign seeks to unlock untapped potential in Gabon’s vast sedimentary basin 72% of which remains unexplored.

The government’s move comes as part of a broader strategy to attract foreign capital, ramp up hydrocarbon production, and reposition Gabon as a competitive player in the global offshore energy market.

Key to this strategy is a planned overhaul of Gabon’s hydrocarbons code, designed to offer more investor-friendly terms and boost international participation. “The government has clearly expressed its ambition to reposition Gabon as a major energy hub in Central Africa,” said Verner Ayukegba, Executive Vice President of the African Energy Chamber (AEC), who added that national output could reach close to one million barrels per day with the right reforms and investment.

Already, global energy players are signaling renewed confidence. BW Energy signed new exploration contracts in 2024 for the Niosi Marin and Guduma Marin blocks and is conducting a 3D seismic survey to guide drilling efforts. The company is also a joint stakeholder in the Dussafu license alongside Panoro Energy and Gabon Oil Company.

Meanwhile, Perenco is pushing ahead with its own exploration work while leading the $2 billion Cap Lopez LNG terminal project expected online by 2026, which includes a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit to help monetize offshore gas and curb emissions through reduced flaring.

In parallel, Gabon is modernizing domestic energy infrastructure, aiming to expand the SOGARA refinery’s capacity to 1.5 million tons of crude annually. The goal is to achieve national self-sufficiency in refined fuel products by 2030. The country is also bolstering energy security by expanding fuel storage to cover up to 90 days of domestic consumption.

With global energy demand shifting and the offshore market growing increasingly competitive, Gabon’s deepwater push signals a strategic pivot one rooted in reform, infrastructure, and ambition. If successful, it could re-establish the nation as a critical energy anchor in Central Africa’s future.

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GABON LAUNCHES BOLD ENERGY STRATEGY TO UNLOCK NEW OIL FRONTIER IN CENTRAL AFRICA

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