Political instability, insecurity and marine boundary disputes pose some of the major challenges constraining progress of Africa's upstream offshore oil and gas exploration ambitions at a time when the continent expected to ramp up production from its deep and ultra deepwater investments…
Somalia, a country that has been trying, albeit with little success, to shed off the image of a nation in turmoil because of its insecurity, instability and a preferred haven for for militant groups, has big plans for auctioning some of its…
A flurry of major gas discoveries in East Africa in 2012 shone a spotlight on the region. Four years later, while efforts to bring some of those resources to market via LNG developments are progressing, the exploration effort offshore appears to be in the doldrums…
Spectrum has completed a 2D seismic program offshore south Somalia following the acquisition of 20,582.75 line km of data. The new acquisition complements 20,000km of existing seismic that was acquired in 2014 and the two datasets will…
2015 truly was the year of ups and downs. At the start of the new year the price of oil tumbled to just below the US$50/bbl mark and by 31 December it rested at just under $40, at $37.04/bbl. However, it is not known what true bottom is for the market…
Geoscience firm Spectrum has agreed a multi-client master co-operation deal with the Somalian government. The agreement allows Spectrum to acquire approximately 28,000km of long offset 2D seismic data offshore south Somalia. The new acquisition has been specifically designed to complement 20…
Somalia's Puntland Petroleum Minerals Agency (PPMA) awarded ION Geophysical a contract to acquire 8000km of seismic data covering the entire Somalia Puntland offshore margin. The move, by the semi-autonomous region, could help pave the way to a return to exploration offshore Somalia…
ION Geophysical and Somalia’s Puntland Petroleum and Minerals Agency (PPMA) entered into an agreement to complete a multi-client 2D regional seismic survey offshore Puntland, Somalia. Image from ION Geophysical…
As a result of recent offshore successes in Mozambique and Tanzania, the entire East Africa margin currently has the attention of the world’s new ventures teams, explorers and gas (LNG) buyers. What might happen next in this new hydrocarbon province…
Gas has been found in great quantities offshore East Africa. What will be the challenges around getting it to shore? Alex Hunt takes a look. The East African coastline. Image from the GRID-Arendal Continental Shelf Programme…
The landscape of risk will continue to change in 2015 for the offshore upstream sector. While new risks are expected to appear, many will remain familiar and consistent with recent years. Some of the biggest concerns are also likely to be eclipsed by potential opportunities…
Soma Oil & Gas Exploration, a Somalia-focused exploration company, today issued its audited annual report and financial statements for 2013. On 6 August 2013, Soma signed a Seismic Option Agreement (SOA) with the Ministry of National Resources of the Federal Government of Somalia…
UK-based, Somalia-focused exploration firm Soma Oil & Gas Exploration has completed an offshore seismic acquisition program, which commenced in February 2014. The acquisition program was carried out by SeaBird Exploration and concluded in June 2014…
BG Group used Odfjell's Deepsea Metro I drillship for the Sunbird-1 in Block L10A this year. Photo from BG Group. Offshore East Africa is among the newest frontier exploration regions, with results of wildcats eagerly awaited…
BG Group has made the first oil discovery off East Africa, according to a partner on the Sunbird-1 exploration well. Pancontinental Oil and Gas said a 14m gross oil column was found beneath a 2936m gross gas column in a reefal limestone…
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