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Fresh from a name change that has seen it morph from Seplat Petroleum to Seplat Energy – a reflection of the company’s efforts to diversify – the Lagos- and London-listed independent is doubling down on natural gas as it looks for growth over the next five years.

In another step towards the promised overhaul of Nigeria’s hydrocarbons industry, President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed the board and management of the soon-to-be incorporated Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC).

Aker Energy has reworked its plans for the Pecan field and cut the break-even price from $45/bbl to $30/bbl. “We are committed to the project and have reworked the Pecan field development concept to a much more profitable and cost-effective phased approach,” a company official told African Energy.

UK-listed independent Savannah Energy has secured the expected ten-year extension to its four production sharing contracts (PSCs) in Niger.

A year ago, Dallas-based Kosmos was selling African assets, but it is now expanding its interests in Ghana in a deal which could help to provide cashflow for the first phase of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project in Mauritania and Senegal, writes James Gavin

Gambia is to launch a mini-licensing round for Block A1 on 8 November, less than three months after BP’s exit from the licence in early August. The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy said it was working with legal, technical and financial advisors to design the licensing round’s commercial and fiscal framework, “taking into account the current market environment”.

Energy and mineral development minister Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu told a press conference on 3 November that China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) had made a final investment decision on the Kingfisher field and was now ready to proceed.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) will offer $460m in contracts on the Kingfisher oil field, following a final investment decision announced on 3 November.

UK-headquartered Impact Oil & Gas announced on 1 December the spudding of the Venus-1X offshore exploration well in Namibia Block 2913B, operated by TotalEnergies. The well, which is being drilled in water depths of 3,000 metre by the Maersk Voyager drillship, is being closely watched by the industry as an indicator of Namibia’s potential as a major hydrocarbons player.

Further drilling is due to begin on the Anchois gas deposit in the Lixus licence area of offshore Morocco. London AIM-listed Chariot announced on 15 December that the Stena Don drilling rig had arrived on site and drilling was to begin “immediately”.

Royal Dutch Shell faces a further legal challenge to its seismic survey off the eastern littoral – South Africa’s so-called Wild Coast – after campaigners forced a new court hearing for 17 December.

Australian independent FAR has plugged and abandoned the Bambo-1 offshore exploration well after no movable oil was found. The decision represents a setback for FAR and joint venture partner Malaysia’s Petronas in an area adjacent to FAR’s Senegal blocks in the Sangomar field.

Oil Production Licence (OPL) 245 is the focus of a $1.7bn claim brought by the Nigerian government against JP Morgan Chase Bank North America in London’s High Court.  What is the asset and why has it created such expensive controversy? African Energy explains.

While many headlines have focused on Eni’s energy transition moves, the Italian major is also shoring up its upstream positions around the continent.

With high impact exploration wells planned off Africa’s western coast in the 2021-23 period, Africa still figures prominently in Shell’s upstream plans, even while its reorganisation implies a reduced footprint on the continent.