Latest news with #CongoBasin
Zawya
16-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Angola discovers offshore gas in first gas-specific exploration well
Azule Energy, a partnership between BP and Eni in Angola, discovered gas in its first gas-specific exploration well off the country's shores, the national oil and gas agency ANGP said. Found in block 1/14, the Gajajeira-01 well drilled in the lower Congo Basin, encountered gas and condensate-bearing rock, with preliminary estimates suggesting gas volumes could exceed one trillion cubic feet and up to 100 million barrels of associated condensate. "This is a landmark moment for gas exploration in Angola," Adriano Mongini, CEO of Azule Energy, said in a joint statement. "The Gajajeira-01 well is the first dedicated gas exploration well in the country, and its success reinforces our confidence in the potential of the Lower Congo Basin." The block is operated by Azule Energy (35%) in association with Equinor (30%), Sonangol E&P (25%), and privately owned Angolan company Acrep S.A. (10%). All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
16-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2025 Panel to Assess Onshore, Shallow Water Prospects in Angola
Angola – one of Africa's leading deepwater producers – is making a strong play for onshore exploration, leveraging its multi-year licensing strategy and flexible investment structures to entice new players to invest in onshore projects. On the back of a licensing round which concluded in 2024, the country is witnessing a surge of investment onshore, unlocking new opportunities for production growth as Angola strives to sustain output above one million barrels per day. A panel discussion during the Angola Oil&Gas (AOG) conference will examine the impact ongoing onshore and shallow water projects will have on Angola's production portfolio. Titled The Role of Onshore and Shallow Water Operations in Maintaining Production, the session will feature companies active in the onshore market and will delve into the strategic significance of onshore assets in maintaining output and maximizing resources in Angola. Speakers include Ricardo Van-Deste, CEO, Sonangol E&P Edson dos Santos, CEO, Etu Energias; George Toriola, Chief Strategy Officer, FIRST E&P Gianni Martins, General Manager, Alfort Petroleum; and Scott Gilbert, CEO, Corcel. The 2024/2025 period has seen robust growth across Angola's onshore market as companies invest in drilling and data acquisition in pursuit of new discoveries. In May 2025, Etu Energias signed a Risk Service Contract for Block CON 4 in the onshore Congo basin, granting the company operatorship with 67.5%. The agreement covers a 25-year operating license, with five years allocated for exploration and 20 years for production. The agreement follows two separate deals signed by Corcel in May 2025 for the accelerated development of Block KON 16 in the Kwanza basin. The agreements saw Corcel enhance its stake in the block to 71/5% through transactions signed with Intank Global DMCC and Sintana. Proceeds from the transactions will support de-risking and exploration activities planned for 2026. Corcel completed the data acquisition phase of KON 16 in 2024. Alfort Petroleum is also pursuing onshore exploration, following its qualification as an operator under the country's 2023 licensing round. The company operates Block KON 8 and is currently interpreting seismic data at the block. Meanwhile, while FIRST E&P is not yet active in Angola, other Nigerian players have recently expanded into the country, showcasing the potential for Nigerian players in Angola's onshore market. Notably, Nigeria's Walcot Group signed a production sharing contract in April 2025 for three onshore blocks in Angola. These include a 100% equity interest and operatorship of Block KON 1; a 100% equity interest and operatorship of Block CON 3; and a 10% non-operating interest in Block KON 13. Oando Energy Resources – another Nigerian firm – entered the Angolan market in January 2025, gaining operatorship of Block KON 13. The block has two exploration wells previously drilled, with oil and gas identified across various depths. Effimax and Sonangol represent partners on the block. Recent onshore investments are largely due to Angola's 2023 licensing round, which featured 12 blocks for exploration in the Lower Congo and Kwanza basins. Nine companies qualified as operators while five qualified as non-operators. Since the conclusion of the round, the country's upstream regulatory the National Oil, Gas&Biofuels Agency has since received proposals from three international companies for nine blocks that were not awarded during the 2023 tender. This underscores the level of interest in Angola's onshore acreage, laying a strong foundation for future discoveries. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.
Reuters
12-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Angola discovers offshore gas in first gas-specific exploration well
CAPE TOWN, July 12 (Reuters) - Azule Energy, a partnership between BP (BP.L), opens new tab and Eni ( opens new tab in Angola, discovered gas in its first gas-specific exploration well off the country's shores, the national oil and gas agency ANGP said late on Friday. Found in block 1/14, the Gajajeira-01 well drilled in the lower Congo Basin encountered gas and condensate-bearing rock, with preliminary estimates suggesting gas volumes could exceed 1 trillion cubic feet and up to 100 million barrels of associated condensate. "This is a landmark moment for gas exploration in Angola," Adriano Mongini, CEO of Azule Energy said in a joint statement. "The Gajajeira-01 well is the first dedicated gas exploration well in the country and its success reinforces our confidence in the potential of the Lower Congo Basin." The block is operated by Azule Energy (35%) in association with Equinor (30%), Sonangol E&P (25%), and privately owned Angolan company Acrep S.A. (10%).
Zawya
09-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
New Forest Standard for Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to leverage responsible forest management
The DRC could soon unlock access to global markets for certified forest products and increase the value of verified ecosystem services impact, especially carbon, water, biodiversity, recreation, and culture, with the new FSC Forest Stewardship Standard (FSS) ( for the DRC. The standard promotes responsible forest management through FSC certification. It would not only strengthen the conservation of DRC's rich biodiversity but also contribute to reducing the increasing illegal logging driving deforestation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and help the country meet its climate target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 21% by 2030. By conforming to the standard's requirements, forest managers can increase the benefits they generate from the forest resources they manage. FSC certification is a core stepping stone to align with the European Union (EU) Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR), a legislation requiring companies to ensure their products are not linked to deforestation. Once stakeholders utilize the FSC certification system in the DRC, this alignment allows their forest products to compete in the growing market for sustainably sourced forest products. DRC boasts over 155 million hectares (67% of DRC's total area and 60% of the Congo Basin's Forest area), representing 18% of the world's tropical forests and storing around 8% of the world's forest carbon. These forests, which are mainly comprised of equatorial rainforests, dry forests, swamp forests, and mountain forests, are home to incredibly rich biodiversity with over 23 million hectares of protected areas and play a crucial socio-economic role for over 40 million people. So far, over 6 million hectares of forest in the Congo Basin have been certified as sustainably managed under FSC certification (which represents roughly 12% of exploitable forests estimated at 47.5 million ha by OFAC). Different studies demonstrate that FSC-certified forests in the Congo Basin help protect large mammals and critically endangered species, such as gorillas and elephants. Embracing the new FSC standard for DRC offers an excellent opportunity for the sustainable management and protection of these high conservation value forest areas, promoting long-term environmental sustainability. This could create a pathway for the DRC government, the private sector, and development partners to unlock the potential of the country's forest sector. The development process of this FSS began in 2015 with the creation of a chamber-balanced standard development group in the DRC. The standard development group developed the national standard following a multi-stakeholder engagement process with companies, NGOs, civil society organizations, and social stakeholders, including representatives of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The new Standard was subjected to field testing and stakeholder involvement to ensure its applicability in the country, address concerns, give equal opportunities for feedback, and foster consensus from economic, environmental, and social perspectives to ensure sustainability. The standard will provide independent evidence of responsible forest management and promote continuous improvement in addressing key issues like maintaining intact forest landscapes, preserving the country's biodiversity, and protecting the rights of local communities, Indigenous, and Traditional Peoples. For any queries on the standard, please get in touch with Pepe DUNGU, FSC Standard Development Group Coordinator, DRC. email address: pepedungu@ The FSS for the Democratic Republic of Congo (English and French versions) can be consulted in the FSC Document Center ( Visit FSC Africa website ( for more related news. Links to some news feeds on the standard development process: Meeting to finalize FSC standard concludes in DR Congo ( Relaunch of the National Forest Stewardship Standard development process in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( "After a long development process, the DRC has received approval of its FSC certification standard. This is a strong signal and an unforgettable achievement in the history of forest management in our country. This tool will serve as a lever to ensure the sustainable management of our forests, guaranteeing high production and opening up to more profitable timber and carbon markets. The momentum of forest certification in the DRC is aligned with the vision of the forest regime at a time when the country is developing its first-ever forest policy, which will lead to the revision of the Forest Code and its implementing measures. We commend the efforts made by the FSC Policy Manager in Africa, as well as all the members of the Standard Development Group (SDG-DRC) since the beginning of the process." (Pepe DUNGU, DRC Standard Development Group Chairperson). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Forest Stewardship Council. Media contacts: Israel Bionyi Senior Regional Communications Manager FSC Africa FSC Africa T: +49 (0) 228 367 66 0 F: +49 (0) 228 367 66 65
The Guardian
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Tree of Authenticity review – talking tree explains Congo's struggle to overcome colonial past
In his first solo directorial feature, photographer and visual artist Sammy Baloji excavates the colonial legacies in the Congo basin, the second largest tropical forest in the world. Building on a decades-spanning archive from the Yangambi National Institute of Agronomic Studies and Research, the film is loosely divided into three sections, each guided by a different voice that speaks to the complicated environmental history of the area. The first segment is informed by the journal entries of Congolese agronomist Paul Panda Farnana. Working both within and outside Belgium's colonial control during the 1910s and 1920s, Farnana wrote of his frustration with the extractive regime, as well as meteorological statistics related to rainfall and temperature, which are narrated in voiceover. This is combined with largely static shots of present-day Congo, where vestiges of colonial buildings lie next to verdant fields, a haunting reminder from a dark past. This cinematic link through time continues with the second narration, taken from the writing of Belgian colonial official Abiron Beirnaert. A stark contrast to Farnana's clear-eyed, political perspective, Beirnaert's contemplations luxuriate in boredom and jadedness. The images that accompany this section are also of sparsely attended archives and abandoned factories that do little to subvert Beirnaert's imperialist outlook. The third voice, however, grants sentience to the ancient tree of the title, bearing witness to decades of Congolese history. This last is a fascinating stylistic choice that encourages us to let go of our anthropocentric approach to climate change, even if giving a tree an inner monologue seems to be a rather facile way to foreground non-human perspectives. Though perhaps leaning too heavily into an academic visual experiment, The Tree of Authenticity offers a fascinating look at how extraction can take many forms, even within the context of sustainability. The Tree of Authenticity is at the ICA from 10 July
