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African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 Opens with Exploration Push, $1B Seismic Investment and United States (U.S.) Pledge of Partnership

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12 months ago

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African Energy Week

African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 opened in Cape Town on Tuesday, highlighting renewed exploration, billion-dollar seismic investments, deepening U.S. partnership and calls to end global double standards

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 30, 2025/APO Group/ –African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 opened on Tuesday with a call to fast-track oil, gas and clean energy development across the continent, as industry leaders highlighted new exploration initiatives, billion-dollar seismic investments and deepening U.S.-Africa energy ties as the backbone of Africa’s industrial future.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz pledged that Washington would stand behind Africa’s energy ambitions. “The U.S. should be a strong and committed partner in Africa’s energy future, supporting robust investment in exploration, production and infrastructure,” he said. Cruz also positioned the U.S. as Africa’s “alternative to communist China,” framing energy as the foundation of a new era of “investment-led commercial diplomacy.”

Josh Volz, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe, Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East in the U.S. Department of Energy, emphasized U.S. support for African-led energy development. “International governments should not stand in the way of how African nations determine their energy futures. We are eager to hear how best we can, from a U.S. perspective, partner with Africa,” he said. Volz noted that the U.S. private sector is already heavily engaged in Africa, with current investments totaling $65 billion, along with a $2.5 billion pledge recently implemented under the Trump administration aimed at supporting energy expansion across the continent.

The U.S. should be a strong and committed partner in Africa’s energy future, supporting robust investment in exploration, production and infrastructure

NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, said exploration is firmly back on the continent, but warned that policy delays could derail progress. “The state of African energy is resilient. Liberia just signed a few new blocks with TotalEnergies, and we are hoping gas developments in Mozambique move forward. But it shouldn’t take five, 10 or 20 years to approve projects,” he said. “The energy industry can take care of the sub-surface issues, but it’s our job to deal with the above-ground.”

Ayuk stressed the need for fiscal clarity and stronger enabling environments. “The game is going cheap. The fiscals will make us better. Besides putting pressure on African leaders to move, we need to deal with financial apartheid. Gas is green in Europe where they can afford it, but not in Africa. We need to stop these double standards,” he said.

Seismic giant TGS reinforced this momentum, with CEO Kristian Johansen, confirming that the company has invested over $1 billion in African data over the past decade. “Our unparalleled multi-client library, representing about 70% of all seismic data in Africa, continues to unlock new opportunities – de-risking frontier basins, revitalizing mature plays and revealing potential where others saw only uncertainty,” Johansen said.

Mike Sangster, Senior Vice President for Africa at TotalEnergies, emphasized the scale of investment needed to meet Africa’s growing energy demand. “The IEA says the industry needs to invest $500 billion per year to meet growing demand – 90% of this investment is needed just to stand still, to offset natural declines in our fields. New oil and gas projects are not optional – they are essential. Otherwise, energy security is at risk,” he said.

He noted that TotalEnergies is dedicating significant resources to Africa, with half of its exploration and appraisal budget allocated to the continent. The company recently acquired licenses in the Republic of Congo, Namibia and Nigeria, and is anticipating the launch of new projects in Angola and Uganda. Sangster further highlighted various sustainability initiatives, including the elimination of routine flaring in Gabon, the deployment of 13,000 methane sensors across Africa by 2025, and the operation or construction of 1.1 GW of renewable capacity.

Turning to clean energy solutions, Ayuk pressed for urgency on LPG as a safe cooking fuel, citing a landmark U.S. proposal launched earlier this year. “Some 750,000 to one million Africans die every year from lack of clean cooking fuels – this is an issue we must address. LPG is going to be big. We are going to use it and we will not stop,” he said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Energy

Building a Knowledge Hub for China-ASEAN Energy Cooperation

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2 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

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ASEAN

NANNING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – During the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, China Southern Power Grid showcased a range of innovations designed to support energy cooperation between China and ASEAN. These included the DaWatt – Lao Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector V2.0 and the Flexible Grayscale Intelligent Monitoring & Analysis Platform for power system cybersecurity, highlighting expanding opportunities for cooperation in digitalization, intelligent technologies and green energy.

The Lao-language LLM has been deployed at Electricité du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T), where it can automatically analyze thousands of inspection images within a short period of time. After its algorithms were optimized for Laos’ mountainous and rainforest terrain, the model completed intelligent inspection analysis for four transmission lines, processing 26,000 drone inspection images and identifying more than 3,600 equipment defects.

 




 
 

Liu Ying, general manager of the Digitalization Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd., said the company has been building multilingual professional corpora for the power sector, covering ASEAN countries including Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia. Drawing on the capabilities of the DaWatt foundation model, the company is developing energy and power models tailored to ASEAN languages and real-world power industry applications.

Talent development is another focus of the cooperation. The China-ASEAN Institute of Energy, jointly established by Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and Guangxi University, is exploring an industry-university training model with a strong emphasis on practical experience. So far, two cohorts totaling 53 students from ASEAN countries have enrolled.

Cooperation is also evolving from one-way training toward joint innovation. Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and the Royal Academy of Cambodia have jointly established a laboratory for artificial intelligence and safety equipment, while the company has also launched peer-to-peer exchanges with Electricité du Laos on improving power supply reliability.

To address language barriers in cross-border technical exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has developed an AI-powered translation platform backed by a specialized database containing terminology for more than 1,800 types of power equipment. The platform supports accurate translation between Chinese and English, Chinese and Lao, and Chinese and Vietnamese.

At a recent training program for Chinese and overseas engineers, the system supported one-click generation of bilingual course materials and real-time speech translation, helping participants navigate highly specialized power-sector terminology.

To support regular international exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has also established an international talent pool covering management, technical and skilled personnel. It has developed 24 hours of courses on international affairs as well as 20 short-form video courses.

“This year, we will also explore joint postgraduate programs with universities in ASEAN countries,” said Sun Xiaohua, deputy director of the Human Resources Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd.

Looking ahead, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. plans to further advance a development model featuring “R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN.” The company will continue expanding its multilingual power-sector corpora and explore a “Token Goes Global” model for power-sector AI, with computing resources and models based in Guangxi while knowledge services are delivered overseas. The effort is aimed at creating new forms of China-ASEAN energy cooperation and supporting the green development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0.
 




 

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Energy

Deals, Drilling and New Entrants Define Angola Oil & Gas 2026

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1 day ago

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September 21, 2026

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AOG

Eleven agreements, new exploration commitments and billions of dollars in planned investment highlight Angola’s push to convert upstream reform into projects, production and broader energy-sector growth

LUANDA, Angola, September 18, 2026/APO Group/ –The Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 Conference and Exhibition – organized by Energy Capital & Power (https://EnergyCapitalPower.com) – concluded in Luanda with a clear emphasis on accelerating exploration and production. Across three days, 11 deals were signed, new entrants outlined plans to establish positions in the country and existing operators committed billions of dollars to further exploration and development. The outcomes of the event reaffirm AOG as the official investment platform for the country’s oil and gas sector.

 




  

Eleven Deals Advance Angola’s Investment Pipeline

Eleven agreements were formalized during AOG 2026, spanning new acreage, mature-field investment, financing, gas-based industry and emissions reduction. Angola’s National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) signed agreements with international oil companies covering deepwater Blocks 19, 34 and 35; Blocks 8 and 22; Block 33/24; Blocks 17/25 and 32/21; and further investment in Block 32. Agreements also supported incremental production at Blocks 15 and 31, financing for Etu Energias’ expansion at Block 14 and the social responsibility component of Amufert’s planned $2 billion Soyo fertilizer complex.

Exploration Moves to the Forefront

The ANPG set a target of at least 10 wells annually as Angola seeks to rebuild its exploration pipeline and offset mature-field decline. Shell pledged to pursue exploration aggressively following three agreements signed at AOG. Corcel is also considering a mid-2027 exploration well at KON-16 in the onshore Kwanza Basin following completion of a 326-line-km 2D seismic campaign.

TotalEnergies, Chevron Double Down

Existing operators used AOG to reaffirm long-term investment. TotalEnergies announced plans to invest $10 billion alongside project partners across its Angolan portfolio over the next five years, while further investment at Dalia could unlock up to 400 million barrels under Angola’s incremental-production framework. Chevron plans additional investment in Block 0 following the concession’s extension to 2050.

Pertamina, Panoro Eye Angola Entry

AOG also brought indications of new international participation. Indonesia’s Pertamina announced plans to pursue an upstream operator role in Angola. Panoro Energy, meanwhile, is assessing opportunities across Angola’s onshore, offshore, frontier and brownfield segments. Senior Advisor Tim O’Hanlon said that “it won’t be long before we are in Angola,” highlighting favorable fiscal terms and increasing competition.

It won’t be long before we are in Angola

Pre-Conference Sets Investment Agenda

AOG 2026 began with a dedicated pre-conference program focused on Angola’s next phase of oil and gas development. Workshops and technical discussions examined gas infrastructure, downstream markets, exploration technology and investment opportunities, setting the stage for the commitments announced during the main conference.

Gas and Refining Shift Toward Domestic Value Creation

Angola’s Gas Master Plan emerged as a major industrialization platform, targeting approximately $13 billion in midstream and downstream investment across five hubs. Downstream expansion is advancing in parallel. Angola is targeting 425,000 barrels per day of refining capacity across Luanda, Cabinda, Lobito and Soyo as it seeks to reduce a refined-product import bill that reached approximately $1.96 billion in the first half of 2026.

AOG Recognizes Industry and Emerging Talent

The AOG Awards recognized achievements across the value chain, with Azule Energy named Game Changer of the Year, Sonangol Explorer of the Year, Etu Energias Local Company of the Year and the Cabinda Refinery Downstream Player of the Year. Aníbal Octávio Teixeira da Silva received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Four female students – Abigail Francisco Boa, Chana Lisboa, Genilda Ricardo and Madalena Yanesa Ramos Neto – also received the Albina Faria de Assis Pereira Africano Scholarship, which provides financial support to leading female entrants to Angola’s National Petroleum Institute.

ANPG Expands Investor Access

The ANPG took another step toward improving the investment environment, launching an upgraded website featuring AI-powered search and a dedicated investor space. The platform provides greater access to industry data, investment opportunities and ANPG teams, supporting faster communication between the regulator and prospective investors.

Exhibition Connects Industry Players

Alongside the conference, the AOG 2026 exhibition brought together operators, service companies, technology providers and government institutions, providing a platform to showcase projects, capabilities and investment opportunities across Angola’s oil and gas value chain.

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

 




 

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Load shedding has eased: South Africa now faces its next industrial energy test

Published

4 days ago

on

September 18, 2026

By

vukagroup

The EIUG Conference will bring together industrial energy users, policymakers, utilities, financiers and technology providers to examine what South Africa’s next phase of the energy transition means for the businesses that power its economy

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 17, 2026/APO Group/ –South Africa’s energy conversation is changing. With Eskom recording more than 400 consecutive days without load shedding, the focus for energy-intensive businesses is shifting from simply securing electricity to ensuring that energy supports industrial competitiveness, investment and growth.

 




 
 

For South Africa’s mines, manufacturers, smelters and other large power users, significant challenges remain. Grid capacity, rising operating costs, renewable energy integration, power quality and the financing of alternative energy solutions are increasingly influencing investment and operational decisions.

These issues will take centre stage at the EIUG Conference, taking place 28–29 October 2026 at The Maslow Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg, focused on the challenges and opportunities facing South Africa’s energy-intensive users.

The next industrial energy challenge

Large energy users are already changing how they source power. Seriti Green’s 155 MW Ummbila Emoyeni wind farm, which began commercial operations in July 2026, is supplying Seriti’s mining operations through wheeling, illustrating how industrial users are increasingly combining grid electricity with private renewable generation.

At the same time, transmission capacity is becoming critical as more generation connects to the system. Recent collaboration between the Development Bank of Southern Africa and National Transmission Company South Africa is aimed at accelerating investment in South Africa’s transmission network.

The EIUG Conference programme reflects these changing priorities.

The session “Industrialisation Under Threat?” will examine whether current energy and market conditions are supporting or constraining South Africa’s mining, manufacturing and smelting sectors, including the impact of energy costs, self-generation and changing industrial demand.

A dedicated Grid Security discussion will explore ageing infrastructure, renewable penetration, frequency stability, voltage fluctuations and the roles of NTCSA, Eskom, municipalities and industry in maintaining a reliable electricity system.

Delegates will also explore renewable energy integration for heavy industry, including how solar, wind and hybrid energy systems can support the continuous power requirements of mining, manufacturing, metals and cement operations.

Financing these changes will be equally important. The programme’s Finance for Transition Masterclass will cover financing models, de-risking, storage economics and investment in industrial decarbonisation projects.

From energy security to competitiveness

South Africa’s improved electricity availability is an important milestone, but the next measure of success will be whether the country can turn a changing energy system into stronger industrial growth.

The EIUG Conference will bring together industrial energy users, policymakers, utilities, financiers and technology providers to examine what South Africa’s next phase of the energy transition means for the businesses that power its economy.

The question is no longer only whether South Africa can keep the lights on, but whether its energy system can keep its industries competitive.

Event details

EIUG Conference 2026
28–29 October 2026
The Maslow Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 

 




 

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