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African Energy Chamber (AEC) Promotes Attractive African Oil & Gas (O&G) Prospects and Regulations at AAPG

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African Energy Chamber

African Energy Week: Invest in African Energy 2024 will showcase Africa’s changing regulatory environment and lucrative investment opportunities available for American and global geologists and investors

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 3, 2024/APO Group/ — 

African nations rich in hydrocarbon resources are revamping regulatory frameworks and introducing new licensing rounds, creating a more favorable environment for global oil and gas firms seeking high-return investments. State-owned energy company the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company launched an international bid round offering 12 blocks for exploration to boost reserves and hydrocarbon production in August 2024. Similarly, Zanzibar extended the deadline for its first offshore licensing round – offering eight oil and gas blocks – until September 2024 while Nigeria unveiled a licensing round in May 2024, featuring 12 deep offshore and shallow water blocks. 

To showcase the diverse opportunities and regulatory changes advancing the growth of Africa’s energy industry, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) – serving as the voice of the African energy sector – participated in the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) annual conference in Houston last week. Led by Verner Ayukegba, Senior Vice President of the AEC, the Chamber delivered a presentation titled Africa Energy Diversity of Opportunity and the Regulatory Attractions for Investors, showcasing burgeoning opportunities within Africa’s upstream sector. 

Licensing Rounds and Growing Prospects 
Several new licensing rounds are scheduled for 2024 and beyond in Africa, all of which aim to significantly increase commercial prospects for American firms operating across Africa. Notably, Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) is set to launch a licensing round offering blocks in the Murzuq, Ghadames and Sirte basins towards the end of 2024 and early 2025. Algeria will also offer between 10 and 12 onshore blocks in its 2024 Bid Round to bolster its gas and LNG production while Angola plans to launch its 2025 Bid Round in the first quarter of 2025, offering 10 offshore blocks in the Kwanza and Benguela basins. With oil and gas projected to comprise over 50% of global energy consumption by 2050 – according to a report distributed by energy major ExxonMobil -, Africa’s vast and largely untapped resources offer a significant opportunity to enhance U.S.-Africa energy cooperation to meet this growing demand. 

Regulatory Revamps and Africa-US Collaboration 
During his presentation, Ayukegba underscored Africa’s improved operating environment and the opportunities emerging for American geologists, explorers and investors in the upstream sector. Nigeria, for example, enacted the Petroleum Industry Act in 2021, leading to the creation of specialized regulators – including the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) – as well as greater fiscals that have significantly improved the industry environment for investors. Angola has also embarked on continuous reforms to maintain its competitive edge, creating the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency in 2019 which simplified the process of awarding new licenses through multi-year bid rounds. With Africa’s policy and upstream environments rapidly improving, American geologists and companies stand to play an even greater role in advancing exploration and kickstarting industry-changing projects.  

Beyond seismic firms, U.S.-based E&P companies are making great strides towards maximizing Africa’s oil and gas resources through frontier exploration and incremental production. ExxonMobil, for example, drilled the Likembe-01 research well in Angola’s Block 15 in May 2024, discovering hydrocarbons as part of a broader multi-well program aimed at increasing reserves and production. The company announced that it could invest up to $15 billion in exploration and production in Angola’s Namibe basin through 2030 following commercial success at ongoing drilling campaigns. The find follows another discovery made by the company at the Bavuca Sul-1 exploration well in November 2022. 

Meanwhile, Chevron signed contracts for ultra-deepwater Blocks 49 and 50 in Angola’s Lower Congo basin in June 2024 and entered into production sharing agreements for offshore Blocks EG-06 and EG-11 with Equatorial Guinea’s National Oil Company GEPetrol. In May 2024, Chevron acquired an 80% operating working interest in the PEL 82 exploration license offshore Namibia, aligning with its efforts to expand its presence in the highly prospective Namibian basin. Additionally, Chevron is conducting its first oil and gas exploration well in the Red Sea concession area offshore Egypt as part of a $50 million capital injection this year. In Nigeria, Chevron is engaged in a $1.4 billion exploration campaign with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, drilling 37 wells in the offshore and onshore Escravos area of the Niger Delta from 2022 through 2026. 

These are just some of the examples of U.S.-based energy companies advancing oil and gas development in Africa. The AECs participation at the AAPG event comes ahead of the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy conference – taking place November 4-8 in Cape Town. As African hydrocarbon markets enhance their respective regulatory frameworks, the AEW: Invest in African Energy will connect African energy regulators, industry leaders and American and global investors to facilitate deal signings and strategic partnerships.  

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit http://www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

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The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.

Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.

Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.

At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.

The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.

As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.

Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 

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Beyond Stabroek: Guyana’s Offshore Basin Attracts New Wave of Exploration Investment

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Etu Energias

As ExxonMobil advances appraisal activity in Stabroek and new operators target frontier acreage, Guyana is attracting global capital and building a diversified offshore portfolio designed to sustain long-term growth

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Guyana’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers is entering a new phase, with a growing network of IOCs expanding exploration activity across the country’s offshore basin. Beyond the landmark discoveries that first put Guyana on the global energy map, new drilling campaigns and licensing partnerships are creating a broader exploration ecosystem designed to support long-term production growth.

At the center of this momentum is ExxonMobil’s continued exploration and appraisal activity in the prolific Stabroek Block. The company has submitted a proposal for a 35-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign, expected to run from 2028 through 2033, pending regulatory approval. The program would build on more than 30 commercial discoveries already made in the block, with drilling activity focused on evaluating new prospects and appraising existing discoveries to support future development opportunities.

Exploration activity is also extending into Guyana’s frontier acreage, with ExxonMobil advancing drilling operations at the deepwater Canje Block. The company has deployed the Noble Stena Carron drillship for exploration activity, highlighting continued industry interest in evaluating Guyana’s underexplored offshore potential beyond the established Stabroek Block.

Guyana’s strong exploration outlook comes as the country’s economy continues to benefit from rapid oil sector expansion, with hydrocarbons expected to remain a key driver of exports, government revenues and economic growth. As production scales up, attracting additional investment across exploration, services and infrastructure will be critical to supporting the next phase of development.

That momentum is being reinforced through partnerships established under Guyana’s 2023 offshore licensing round. A consortium comprising TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Petronas is advancing exploration activities in Block S4 under a five-year production sharing agreement signed with the government in late 2025. The award represents one of the first major outcomes of the licensing round and demonstrates continued international confidence in Guyana’s offshore resource potential.

Beyond the largest operators, a diverse group of companies is also expanding activity across Guyana’s offshore basin. Eco Atlantic is advancing exploration at the Orinduik Block; CGX Energy and Frontera Energy are progressing work in the Corentyne Block; Occidental is evaluating opportunities in the Roraima Block; while Ratio Guyana and Cataleya Energy hold interests in the Kaieteur Block. Together, these partnerships are broadening Guyana’s exploration landscape, increasing competition for acreage and creating opportunities for future discoveries.

As Guyana transitions from an emerging producer to a global energy hub, the next challenge will be converting exploration success into sustainable investment, local value creation and regional growth. These opportunities will be explored at Caribbean Energy Week 2027, held under the theme “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub.” Bringing together governments, IOCs, investors and technology providers, the event will examine how Guyana’s expanding partnerships can accelerate offshore development, strengthen regional energy cooperation and attract the capital needed to support the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Energy Capital & Power Establishes London Entity, Expanding Global Platform for Energy and Mining Events

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Energy

The move strengthens ECP’s presence in the UK and Europe, and its ability to connect African and South American markets with global investors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 6, 2026/APO Group/ –International events company Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) has officially established its UK entity in London, marking a milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events and campaigns in the UK and Europe.

By establishing a presence in a key hub like London – the pre-eminent energy and mining finance center – ECP actively shapes the global energy conversation. The expansion positions ECP to better serve clients, partners and investors seeking to develop business opportunities between Africa, Europe, the Americas and energy markets worldwide.

Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital

The milestone comes as ECP strengthens its reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. These include the Venezuela Energy Week London Showcase on July 30 – with over 300 delegates registered – and the annual Invest in African Energy Forum, held in Paris as the premier event connecting global investors to Africa’s energy transformation.

ECP hosts high level summits and investor conferences in leading energy and minerals producing countries in Africa and South America, including: Venezuela Energy Week; Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; South Sudan Oil & Power; and Caribbean Energy Week. The company has hosted investor forums and supported licensing round roadshows in Houston, London and Paris since 2016.

“Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital,” states CEO James Chester. “Having a permanent presence in London further cements our footprint in Europe, enabling us to fulfil our mission to bring minerals and energy investment to diverse global markets.”

With teams located across Africa, Europe and the Americas, ECP has long-facilitated strategic engagement, market intelligence and industry convening, uniting investors with leading energy and mining projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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