CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 26, 2026/APO Group/ –Global energy services and oilfield equipment provider NOV has joined the African Energy Week (AEW) (www.AECWeek.com) 2026 Conference and Exhibition as a Gold Sponsor, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting Africa’s upstream growth, offshore expansion and energy infrastructure development. NOV’s participation comes as African oil and gas producers accelerate drilling campaigns and fast-track project execution to strengthen energy security, industrialization and export revenues.

 

As demand for advanced oilfield technologies and drilling services grows across the continent, NOV is positioning itself at the forefront of Africa’s next phase of hydrocarbon development. The company’s portfolio spans drilling automation, digital well optimization, offshore rig systems, production technologies and FPSO-related equipment, placing it among the leading technology providers supporting increasingly complex African oil and gas projects.

NOV’s participation at AEW 2026 is particularly timely as mature producers such as Angola, Nigeria, Algeria, Libya, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea intensify drilling activity to sustain production and unlock additional reserves. At the same time, frontier markets, including Namibia, Mozambique and Sierra Leone, are advancing new offshore exploration campaigns that require advanced deepwater technologies and efficient project execution capabilities.

In Egypt, NOV recently demonstrated the impact of its digital drilling technologies through the deployment of its Drilling Beliefs & Analytics solution in the Western Desert. By leveraging remote operations and real-time monitoring of machinery and well conditions, the operator achieved the longest bit run in the field’s history while improving drilling efficiency and reducing operational costs. The project eliminated the need for multiple in-person site visits, saving approximately $75,000, highlighting how automation is increasingly reshaping Africa’s upstream sector.

NOV’s NOVOS automation platform and Kaizen AI drilling optimization systems are expected to play an increasingly important role as African operators expand offshore drilling programs where efficiency, safety and reduced non-productive time have become critical priorities.

Beyond drilling optimization, NOV continues to strengthen its role in Africa’s gas monetization drive. In 2024, the company secured multiple orders for advanced gas processing and water treatment equipment packages for floating production storage and offloading units destined for operations in West Africa. The contracts reinforce NOV’s growing participation in offshore gas infrastructure projects supporting regional energy resilience, LNG expansion and export capacity growth.

“Africa’s economic stability will depend heavily on its ability to drill more wells, develop infrastructure faster and commercialize its oil and gas resources efficiently,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The digital transformation taking place across the global energy industry cannot be ignored, and NOV is bringing advanced innovation into African oil and gas operations to simplify processes, improve safety and accelerate project delivery.”

NOV’s participation at AEW 2026 reflects its broader ambitions to scale its services across the continent. As the largest energy gathering in Africa, the event convenes operators, investors, policymakers and service providers to discuss the future of the continent’s energy sector.

 

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 26, 2026/APO Group/ –The Republic of Congo is set to reinforce its position as one of Africa’s fastest-growing gas exporters at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, with newly-appointed Hydrocarbons Minister Stev Simplice Onanga confirmed to speak at the event in Cape Town. His participation comes as Congo advances a broad investment drive centered on LNG expansion, upstream development and accelerated deal-making across its offshore sector.

 

Recently appointed to lead the Ministry of Hydrocarbons, Minister Onanga has already signaled a strong focus on fast-tracking projects, strengthening local content participation and positioning the Republic of Congo as a competitive regional gas hub. His agenda aligns with a period of rapid transformation in the country’s hydrocarbons sector, driven by major offshore gas developments and renewed investor momentum.

 

At the center of this growth is Eni’s Congo LNG project, which entered a major new phase in early 2026 with the launch of exports from the Nguya FLNG facility offshore Pointe-Noire. The startup of the second floating LNG unit has increased Congo’s liquefaction capacity to approximately 3 million tons per year, building on the earlier Tango FLNG development and reinforcing the country’s emergence as a strategic LNG exporter to international markets. Drawing gas from the offshore Nené and Litchendjili fields in the Marine XII permit, the project has become one of Africa’s most significant recent gas monetization successes and a cornerstone of Congo’s broader diversification strategy.

 

Momentum is also building across the country’s upstream sector. TotalEnergies continues to expand its offshore footprint through exploration activity tied to the Nzombo permit, while Perenco is advancing redevelopment work at the Kombi-Likalala-Libondo II field to sustain production and improve gas recovery. Alongside these developments, Congo has been advancing regulatory reforms aimed at attracting new capital into both oil and gas projects, including efforts to strengthen the legal framework for gas development and support future licensing activity.

 

As global demand for diversified gas supply continues to rise, Congo is increasingly positioning natural gas not only as an export driver, but also as a catalyst for domestic industrialization, power generation and long-term economic growth. The country’s expanding FLNG infrastructure, combined with its established offshore production base and strategic Atlantic coastline, has elevated its profile within Africa’s evolving LNG landscape and strengthened its role in supporting energy security for both regional and international markets.

 

“Africa is entering a new era of gas development, and the Republic of Congo is emerging as one of the continent’s most important LNG and offshore growth stories,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “With major FLNG expansion, upstream investment and a renewed focus on local content and deal execution, Congo is demonstrating how African producers can leverage gas resources to drive industrial growth, energy security and long-term economic value.”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 26, 2026/APO Group/ –Independent oil and gas company Trident Energy is making a strong play for the Republic of Congo’s mature oilfields following its acquisition of strategic stakes in the Nkossa, Nsoko II, Lianzi and Moho-Bilondo oilfields in 2025. The transaction signaled an expansion of its Central African energy strategy, centered around reversing production decline at ageing assets, enhancing cost efficiency and advancing local content across oilfield operations in key markets such as Equatorial Guinea.

 

As the company advances toward the next development phase at its Congolese assets, Trident’s experience in Equatorial Guinea offers a blueprint for its Congolese projects. Through targeted infrastructure upgrades, disciplined cost management and a strong local workforce strategy, Trident has shown how mid-cap independents can extract new value from brownfield portfolios that larger majors may consider non-core. Congo now stands to benefit from that same approach as the country seeks to stabilize production and maximize returns from existing offshore infrastructure.

Positioned at the Forefront of Congo’s Mature Acreage

Trident’s entry into Congo’s mature acreage aligns with ambitions to optimize deepwater operations in the region. The transaction included an 85% operated interest in the Nkossa and Nsoko II fields as well as a 21.5% non-operated stake in Moho-Bilondo and a 15.75% interest in Lianzi.

At its operated projects, the company plans to increase production by revitalizing and stimulating current wells while drilling probes. Production initially started in 1996 and 2006 at Nkossa and Nsoko respectively, with the projects now featuring up to 30 producing wells. With the licenses valid until 2040 and 2039, Trident is moving to extend the life of both assets, supporting Congo’s broader production goals.

Equatorial Guinea Demonstrated the Value of Mature Asset Optimization

Trident’s operations in Equatorial Guinea provide one of the clearest examples in Africa of how operational efficiency can reverse decline curves in mature upstream assets. Following the acquisition of stakes in several projects from Hess Corporation in 2017, the company advanced an optimization strategy aimed at identifying opportunities to enhance production through topside improvements, infill drilling and near-field exploration. These efforts have proven successful – particularly at its operated Ceiba and Okume Complex at Block G.

Producing since 2000 and 2006 respectively, the Ceiba and Okume projects feature 12 and 37 producing wells. Since the acquisition, the company has invested $57 million in Okume Central to enhance water injection and power capacity; installed the first-ever Electrical Submersible Pumps in the country to improve well integrity and production rates; upgraded the Ceiba field gas lift system with three permanent structures; and launched a new deepwater drilling campaign to enhance production. As a result, the company has delivered a 37% increase in production.

These initiatives demonstrate the continued viability of Africa’s mature fields, bringing operational learning curves that support Trident’s Congolese portfolio.

Local Content Is Central to the Business Model

What differentiates Trident from many operators in the region is that local content is embedded directly into its operational strategy rather than treated solely as a regulatory obligation. In Equatorial Guinea, the company invested heavily in workforce development, technical training and leadership advancement programs designed to move nationals into senior operational and executive positions. Bienvenido Nguema Envo, Managing Director of the country’s state-owned oil company GEPetrol previously worked at Trident, underscoring the company’s role in developing high-level local expertise across the sector.

Its sustainability strategy encompasses strategic directives, including promoting lateral and geographic job moves to encourage professional growth; established training opportunities across assets; investment into local supply chains; the introduction of a Learning Management System to improve skills transfer; and broader investments in education, health and infrastructure. The company is expected to replicate this approach in Congo as it expands operations.

“Trident Energy has shown that mature African assets can remain globally competitive when operators combine technical discipline with a genuine commitment to local talent development. Congo has not only gained an experienced operator; it has gained a company that understands how to create long-term value through efficiency, workforce development and sustained investment in African expertise,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.