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Gabon: Positioning Oil & Gas as an Enabler of Countrywide Growth

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Gabon

Gabon is seeking to attract an influx of private capital and participation on the back of fortified infrastructure, greater financial inclusion of SMEs and the establishment of public-private partnerships

LIBREVILLE, Gabon, May 25, 2023/APO Group/ — 

With its economic indicators showing clear signs of recovery, and the current Parti Démocratique Gabonais (PDG) set to retain power after this year’s elections, Gabon’s economic plans (https://apo-opa.info/3q5SqcV) are moving ahead at full speed.

Under its 2025 Plan for an Emerging Gabon (PSGE), the country is seeking to facilitate the influx of private capital and participation in both the hydrocarbons value chain and diversified industrial base, leveraging private sector growth to fuel diversification into non-oil sectors like gas, infrastructure, timber, ecotourism and mining.

The cornerstone of these plans are ongoing initiatives to develop more resilient infrastructure, improve the ease of doing business and support training and education, all in a bid to make it more attractive for private investors to enter and operate in Gabon.

Gabon has implemented wide-ranging legal and regulatory reforms to make its operating environment more conducive to new investment

Despite the country’s largest industry – oil – being the source of asphalt, and its second-largest industry – logging – being dependent on roads, Gabon has limited physical infrastructure outside of a few urban centers, leaving much of the country cut off from industrialized growth and inhibiting connections to water and electricity. To address this problem, the government is seeking to unbundle the Gabon Energy and Water Company (SEEG) and deregulate the utilities sector, allowing private players to enter the market and improving access by households and businesses. The government also created its first special economic zone (SEZ) at Nkok near the deep-sea port of Owendo, providing access to water and electricity and on-site legal and financial services to local and foreign investors. Last April, plans were announced for a third such zone in the south-eastern province of Haut-Ogooué, specifically aimed at attracting investment in agriculture, forestry and mining, promoting economic diversification, boosting exports, and generating up to 4,000 jobs in the underdeveloped south of the country.

The Gabonese government has also been working collaboratively with the private sector to improve the ease of doing business, setting up a network of business incubators that assist entrepreneurs with feasibility studies, market studies, business plans, accounting and vocational training (https://apo-opa.info/3qeyu7W), as well as providing qualified access to capital by bringing together project leaders and potential investors. To consolidate these gains and prepare younger generations for a more economically integrated future, the Multisectoral Center for Vocational Education and Training (CIMFEP) was launched in 2021 to match local skills with the projected needs of private sector diversification. The program has been lauded by the United Nations as being aligned with its own recommendations about how best to aid the development and diversification of Central African economies.

In addition to these initiatives, Gabon has implemented wide-ranging legal and regulatory reforms to make its operating environment more conducive to new investment. For example, Gabon’s Ministry of Oil, Gas, Hydrocarbons and Mines worked hand in hand with International Oil Companies (IOCs) in revising the Hydrocarbons Code (https://apo-opa.info/3oIPjqD) to improve fiscal terms and optimize performance of the sector. The resulting New Hydrocarbons Code (2019) reduced government participation and royalties in production sharing contracts, as well as stipulated that local oil and gas service providers should be given preference when tendering work in logistics and supplies, giving them valuable access to income, technology and skills development. Not only did the revised code renew interest from IOCs in Gabon’s upstream landscape, but it also demonstrated the value of private-public sector collaboration in driving new investments.

These efforts to facilitate partnerships between the state and the private sector seem to have paid off: Gabon has launched several public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the realm of power and utilities, including a recent MOU signed between Gabon Power Company and independent oil and gas company Perenco for the construction of a gas-fired power plant in Mayumba. Under the agreement, the two companies will jointly develop the plant, which will produce gas from Perenco’s nearby offshore oil and gas fields to electrify 80,000 households in Gabon’s southern provinces. Initiating collaboration through PPPs can be an effective way tomobilize financing and distribute risk among multiple parties. In addition, these partnerships garner multi-faceted governmental support and formalized energy development plans, while capitalizing on free-market expertise and competition required to operate the project from a technical standpoint. The success of PPPs in Gabon’s utilities space, along with ongoing reforms to improve the ease of doing business, are highly anticipated to drive private sector growth in the country in the coming decade.

All this and more will be further unpacked in Energy Capital & Power’s upcoming market report, Energy Invest Gabon. Keep following for more information about this exciting report!

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

Energy

Guyana Confirmed to Host Caribbean Energy Week 2027 as Regional Energy Integration Gains Momentum

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Guyana

The second annual Caribbean Energy Week will take place in July 2027 in Guyana under the patronage of President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and the endorsement of The Honorable Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, bringing together global investors and regional leaders to advance oil, gas and LNG development

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, May 25, 2026/APO Group/ –The second annual Caribbean Energy Week (CEW) will take place in Guyana in July 2027, convening regional governments, international energy companies and investors at a pivotal moment for the Caribbean’s emergence as a global energy hub. Held under the patronage of President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and with the endorsement of The Honorable Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, the event highlights the country’s growing leadership in shaping the region’s energy future.

 

Under the theme, “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub,” CEW 2027 will focus on transforming the Caribbean from a set of fragmented markets into an integrated, globally competitive energy corridor. Central to this vision is deeper cross-border collaboration, accelerated infrastructure development and increased capital flows across the oil, gas and LNG value chains.

We are seeing unprecedented upstream growth in Guyana, major project development in Suriname and renewed momentum around regional gas and LNG integration in Trinidad and Tobago

Momentum across the region continues to build. In Guyana, offshore production from the ExxonMobil-led Stabroek Block averaged approximately 914,000 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2026, with output expected to exceed one million barrels per day following the startup of the Uaru development. At the same time, upstream expansion remains robust, supported by new seismic campaigns, FPSO developments and ongoing work tied to the Longtail project. In neighboring Suriname, TotalEnergies is advancing its $10.5 billion GranMorgu offshore development alongside new exploration activity, underscoring sustained investor confidence in the Guyana-Suriname Basin and reinforcing the region’s long-term growth trajectory.

In Trinidad and Tobago, the focus is shifting toward revitalizing mature gas production through new upstream partnerships and cross-border developments, including progress on projects such as Manatee and increased collaboration with Venezuela to unlock stranded reserves. At the same time, the country is advancing efforts to expand its LNG and petrochemical value chains, positioning itself to remain a key gas processing and export hub in the Atlantic Basin.

“We are seeing unprecedented upstream growth in Guyana, major project development in Suriname and renewed momentum around regional gas and LNG integration in Trinidad and Tobago,” said James Chester, CEO of Energy Capital & Power, the event organizer. “Caribbean Energy Week 2027 is about connecting those opportunities – bringing together governments, operators and investors to unlock a truly integrated energy corridor that can compete on the global stage.”

The inaugural Caribbean Energy Week in 2026 laid a strong foundation, attracting more than 400 attendees and over 90 companies, alongside high-level ministers and industry leaders from across the region and beyond. Hosted in Paramaribo, the event facilitated critical dialogue on cooperation, investment and infrastructure, while also serving as a platform for deal-making and knowledge exchange.

Building on this momentum, CEW 2027 is set to expand in both scale and impact, offering a premier platform for strategic dialogue, project showcases and investment engagement. As global demand for diversified energy supply grows, the Caribbean is increasingly well-positioned to play a central role – one defined by collaboration, connectivity and opportunity.

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

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TotalEnergies Expands Angola Offshore Strategy as Martin Deffontaines Returns to Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026

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TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is spearheading a diverse investment approach in Angola, targeting frontier opportunities while scaling brownfield production

Martin Deffontaines, Country Manager for Angola at energy major TotalEnergies has been confirmed as a speaker at the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition – taking place September 9­­–10 with a pre-conference day on September 8. His participation comes at a pivotal time for the company as it expands its offshore strategy and is expected to provide insight into how one of the industry’s leading operators is positioning itself for Angola’s next phase of offshore growth.

TotalEnergies is driving a multi-faceted exploration and production strategy in Angola, balancing brownfield optimization with frontier exploration and large-scale deepwater developments. As one of the country’s biggest oil producers, the company’s recent investments signal a long-term commitment to the market as well as its broader ambitions to support Angola’s goals of sustaining production above one million barrels per day (bpd).

At the core of this strategy is unlocking additional value from producing assets. Just this month, the company signed a Principles Agreement with the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) to extend its license for Block 32 to 2043. The agreement establishes the general terms for the continuous development of the block, while outlining the possible application of the Incremental Production Decree to bolster production. Block 32 is one of the country’s biggest producing assets, covering six fields and featuring the Kaombo project.

Beyond operational assets, TotalEnergies is pursuing new frontiers in Angola. The company signed an agreement in March 2026 with the ANPG and ExxonMobil for the allocation of four blocks in the Benguela and Namibe Basins – namely 40, 41, 42 and 58. The agreement lays the foundation for the signing of the respective contracts for the blocks. This follows another agreement signed in 2025 between TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil and the ANPG for the study and evaluation of the Free Areas of Blocks 17/06 and 32/21 – two of the country’s longest-producing assets. The agreement aims to identify new leads across the blocks, supporting future production growth.

The company’s ongoing project portfolio further highlights the scale of its ambitions in Angola. Central to this is the Kaminho deepwater project – the first major deepwater development in the Kwanza Basin. Representing a $6 billion investment, the project is expected to produce approximately 70,000 bpd through an FPSO designed with lower-emission technologies. FID was reached in 2024, with production on track for 2028. Kaminho builds on TotalEnergies recent project momentum, which saw two offshore projects start operations in 2025. The Begonia and CLOV Phase 3 developments added 60,000 bpd to the company’s Angolan portfolio, cementing its position as a major operator.

Deffontaines’ participation at AOG 2026 comes as these themes move to the forefront of Angola’s oil and gas agenda. As one of the country’s largest international investors, TotalEnergies continues to shape discussions around production sustainability, exploration strategy and offshore project economics. His presence at the event underscores both the scale of the opportunity and the growing international confidence in Angola’s deepwater market.

 

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

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Congo’s Minister Onanga to Fast-Track Deals, Drive Local Content and Expand Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) in New Investment Push

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Congo

High-level talks between the Republic of Congo’s Minister of Hydrocarbons Stev Simplice Onanga and the African Energy Chamber focused on accelerating deal flow, strengthening local content and SNPC, and advancing FLNG expansion to position the country as a regional gas hub

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, May 20, 2026/APO Group/ –The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (www.AfricanEnergyChamber.org) has reinforced its strategic partnership with the Republic of Congo following a high-level meeting between Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk and newly appointed Minister of Hydrocarbons Stev Simplice Onanga in Brazzaville this week, setting the stage for a renewed push to accelerate investment, strengthen local capacity and expand the country’s LNG footprint.

 

Held shortly after Minister Onanga’s appointment, the meeting underscored a shared commitment to faster, more efficient deal-making across Congo’s oil and gas sector. Both sides emphasized that reducing delays in project approvals and execution will be critical to maintaining Congo’s competitiveness and attracting new capital into upstream and gas development.

 

A key focus of discussions was the development of a stronger local industry. Minister Onanga outlined a clear ambition to see Congolese companies grow beyond traditional service roles to become operators, license holders and regional players capable of competing across African markets. This includes building companies that not only support domestic projects, but can also export expertise and services beyond Congo.

 

The AEC welcomed this vision, committing to work closely with the Ministry to help develop a new generation of competitive Congolese firms. This effort will focus on strengthening technical capacity, expanding access to opportunities in field development and drilling, and ensuring local companies are positioned to participate more meaningfully across the value chain.

 

In parallel, Minister Onanga called for enhanced collaboration to strengthen Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC), with the goal of transforming it into one of Africa’s leading national oil companies. The vision is for SNPC to evolve beyond its current partnership model with international oil companies to take on a more operational role – managing assets, leading projects and driving exploration and production both domestically and, over time, internationally.

 

“Congo is focused on building a stronger national energy ecosystem from the ground up,” said Ayuk. “We agreed with the Minister on the need to develop Congolese companies into competitive players that can scale beyond borders. Strengthening SNPC is central to this, so it becomes a more active operator, managing and developing assets. This is about building long-term capacity in-country and positioning Congo as a leading force in African energy.”

With Minister Onanga, we’re seeing a real commitment to getting things done – moving deals faster, empowering Congolese companies and scaling LNG

 

Beyond local industry development, the meeting reinforced Congo’s broader ambition to strengthen its position within Africa’s energy landscape. Minister Onanga highlighted his intention to align national strategy with continental priorities, drawing on his experience as former Chair of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) Board of Governors. Continued engagement with institutions such as APPO and OPEC will remain central to this approach.

 

Gas development – particularly floating LNG (FLNG) – emerged as another key pillar of the discussion. Congo has already made significant progress through projects such as Eni’s Congo LNG development, where the 0.6 mtpa Tango FLNG and the upcoming Nguya FLNG facility are expected to increase the country’s LNG export capacity to around 3 mtpa.

 

Building on this momentum, discussions pointed to the potential for additional FLNG developments. With ongoing conversations around new projects and favorable conditions aligning, a future FLNG expansion could further scale production and reshape Congo’s role in the regional gas market. Expanding capacity would not only strengthen export revenues, but also support domestic gas utilization and industrial growth.

 

“With Minister Onanga, we’re seeing a real commitment to getting things done – moving deals faster, empowering Congolese companies and scaling LNG,” added Ayuk. “The stars are aligning for Congo to lead the continent in floating LNG. If this momentum continues, there’s no doubt the country can position itself as one of Africa’s leading gas hubs.”

 

With a renewed focus on fast-tracked investment, local industry development and LNG expansion, the AEC’s engagement with Congo signals a more execution-driven phase for the country’s energy sector – one aimed at building in-country value, strengthening regional influence and delivering long-term growth.

 

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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