Africa represents the next frontier for upstream drilling owing largely to the continent’s pipeline of high impact wells. In 2023, approximately 132 exploration wells were drilled while in 2024 and 2025, 120 wells and 123 wells are expected to be drilled, respectively. Offshore Drilling Advances in West AfricaDuring September 2023, Shell spudded an eagerly anticipated exploration well targeting a one-billion-barrels prospect in the Panna Cotta-1 exploration well in Block C10, offshore Mauritania. Meanwhile, in Guinea-Bissau, drilling activities at the Formosa prospect are expected to advance the MSGBC region’s oil and gas boom. East African Drilling Picks-upIn East Africa, Eni started drilling its Raia-1 well, situated in Block A5-A in the Angoche Basin, offshore Mozambique, in April.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 25, 2023 00:44 UTC