Feb 25 (Reuters) - Angola's state oil company Sonangol is talking to Chinese financial institutions to secure a $4.8 billion loan to partly finance the construction of a new refinery in the Atlantic sea port of Lobito, it said on Wednesday. The financing, if completed, will mark the first borrowing by the Southern African oil... Continue Reading →
Saipem Eyes Comeback in Venezuela as Sanctions Ease
Feb. 25 (Reuters) Italian oil contractor Saipem is ready to resume activities in Venezuela for both offshore and onshore projects after the easing of U.S. sanctions, Chief Executive Alessandro Puliti said on Wednesday. "Things in Venezuela are changing very quickly. It's a country where we worked a lot in the past, and we are ready... Continue Reading →
South America and Africa to Lead High-Impact Exploration Well Drilling in 2026 – Westwood
Feb. 23 - Africa and South America are expected to lead high-impact exploratory drilling in 2026, with a forecast of 19 and 15 wells, respectively, according to the consulting firm Westwood Global Energy Group. In Brazil, the highlights are the Tupinambá well, from BP, and the Morpho well, from Petrobras. In total, the company estimates... Continue Reading →
Brazil’s Petrobras to look into Venezuela opportunities, says head of E&P
Feb 20 (Reuters) - Brazil's state-run oil firm Petrobras will look into opportunities in neighboring Venezuela, said the head of Exploration and Production Sylvia Anjos in an interview with newspaper O Globo on Friday. Venezuela has "great potential", but investing in the country is risky, said Anjos, adding that producing in the oil-polluted Lake Maracaibo would put Petrobras'... Continue Reading →
Azule Energy Makes Significant Oil Discovery Offshore Angola
Feb. 16 (OE) Azule Energy, jointly owned by Eni and BP, has made an oil discovery at the Algaita-01 exploration well in Block 15/06 offshore Angola, with initial estimates pointing to approximately 500 million barrels of oil in place. The well, located in the offshore Lower Congo Basin, was spudded on January 10, 2026, in... Continue Reading →
Shell needs big discovery or deals as oil, gas reserves dwindle
Feb 9 (Reuters) - Shell needs an acquisition or exploration breakthrough to make up for an expected production shortage of 350,000-800,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2035 due to maturing fields unable to meet its output targets, the company and analysts say. For years, oil majors have been restrained in topping up reserves,... Continue Reading →
Namibia won’t recognise TotalEnergies, Petrobras deal due to not following procedure
Feb 8 (Reuters) - Namibia will not recognise the purchase of offshore stakes in the Luderitz Basin announced last week by TotalEnergies and Petrobras until the oil companies follow the proper route for approval, government officials said on Sunday. Jonas Mbambo, a spokesperson for the presidency, confirmed that until a formal application is submitted and the prescribed... Continue Reading →
BW Energy’s Planned Angola Entry Challenged by Pre-Emption Rights
Feb. 6 (OE) BW Energy has informed that one of the existing joint venture partners in Angola's offshore blocks 14 and 14K has indicated its intention to exercise pre-emption rights in relation to the previously announced acquisition agreement. BW Energy and its partner Maurel & Prom had been notified of the move by a joint... Continue Reading →
Petrobras acquires stake in exploration block in the Republic of Namibia.
February 6, 2026 – Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras announces that it has acquired a 42.5% stake in Block 2613, located offshore in the Republic of Namibia, Africa. The transaction was carried out in partnership with TotalEnergies, which also acquired 42.5% and will act as the operator of the block. The selling companies are Eight Offshore... Continue Reading →
Oil majors snap up West African blocks in hunt for next Brazil
Feb 4 (Reuters) - Chevron and TotalEnergies are among the oil majors snapping up offshore blocks in West and Southern Africa as compelling geology, regulatory reforms, and the need to restock spur a hunt for the next Brazil. Companies are restocking their oil and gas assets given prospects for fossil fuel demand to stay higher for longer than predicted just a... Continue Reading →