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Kudu field operator BW Energy has purchased a semi-submersible drilling rig, Leo, for $14m to be repurposed as a floating production unit (FPU) to supply a nearshore 420MW jack-up barge power plant. Gas from the 130 mcf/d capacity FPU will be dispatched to Elizabeth Bay by a 195km subsea 12-inch pipeline, BW said in a 25 August half-year results presentation.

The floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel for Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) Phase I has been completed and “will soon sail to Mauritania and Senegal”, France’s Technip Energies NV said on 12 September.

Many critical questions remain to be answered, as supermajors keep their counsel on developing a major new offshore oil and gas play, but things seem to be moving ahead quickly with Chevron said to be re-entering the Orange Basin after two decades, the government saying it has agreed with Shell and TotalEnergies that production from their Graff and Venus discoveries should start ‘as soon as possible’, and BW Energy making promising noises about the Kudu gas-to-power play. Local players are set for a big payday as the Namibian upstream becomes a supermajor focus, writes Marc Howard.

Eni has announced the completion of its acquisition of UK supermajor BP’s assets in Algeria, including working interests in the In Amenas (45.89%) and In Salah (33.15%) gas fields, which together produced 11bcm in 2021. The purchase adds to a flow of recent deals has buttressed Eni’s position as the leading international oil company (IOC) in north-west Africa.

London AIM-listed Sound Energy on 14 September announced a ruling against it by tax authorities it its dispute with the Moroccan tax authorities. Sound estimated the ruling could cost it $19.7m in back taxes; it has 60 days to accept the decision or challenge it in court.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on 15 September between Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (Onhym), Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to progress the 7,000km Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) project.

Progress has been reported on a $400m compressed natural gas (CNG) plant on the shores of Lake Kivu, at Bwishyura, in the Karongi district of Western Province. Methane gas from Lake Kivu will be converted into CNG, which will be used as a substitute for petrol and diesel fuel and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).

Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dabaiba may just have won another round in the unedifying slugfest for control over Libya’s government and resources. It seemed like a mistake when Dabaiba replaced National Oil Corporation (NOC) chairman Mustafa Sanalla with former Qadhafi-era Central Bank of Libya governor Farhat Ben Gdara in late July, but the move seems to have bought the PM more time.

Invictus Energy has identified multiple drill-ready prospects in its 80%-owned and operated Cabora Bassa project, after gaining the rights in August to exploration rights to blocks 1848 and 1849 in northern Zimbabwe. Following a fund-raising, and unfulfilled talks with potential partners, the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed firm is going ahead with drilling on its own.

According to energy minister January Makamba, the host government agreement (HGA) for the $30bn Lindi LNG project is expected to be completed by December.

According to Senegal's President Macky Sall, Phase II of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) offshore LNG development will require $5bn investment, with production start anticipated in 2024 or 2025.

Mauritania’s energy minister Abdessalam Ould Mohamed Saleh has said the government hopes to agree a business plan with BP for the 50tcf BirAllah gas project in the next two to three years.

Eni’s Coral Sul floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) platform will dispatch its first cargo “within a few days”, EU high representative Josep Borrell said on 8 September. The senior EU diplomat was talking in Maputo, where he also committed European backing to the Rwanda military mission to Mozambique.

The Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) LNG project’s phase one remains on track for first exports by end-2023, with a Phase II development decision expected in Q3 22 for first gas from end-2026. Kosmos Energy says that in a booming global market, it is looking to sell its share of gas into spot markets, even if that means paying penalties to partner BP, writes Marc Howard.

BP and Kosmos Energy are finalising a new production-sharing contract (PSC) with the government of Mauritania for block C8 offshore, where the Orca-1 exploration well discovered gas in 2019.