Latest news with #InvestInAfricanEnergies
Zawya
4 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Former Namibian Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo to Speak at African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 as Country's Offshore Oil Boom Accelerates
Tom Alweendo, Former Minister of Mines and Energy, Namibia will participate as a speaker at this year's African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025, taking place in Cape Town from September 29 to October 3. Alweendo – who led Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy from 2018 until March 2025 – recently launched Alvenco Advisory, a strategic consultancy aimed at assisting investors in navigating Namibia's political, fiscal, legal and environmental regimes. The firm offers tailored advisory services covering policy and regulatory compliance, alignment with national development priorities, and stakeholder engagement at both community and government levels. By leveraging Alweendo's extensive ministerial experience and network, Alvenco Advisory aims to facilitate responsible investment that unlocks value, drive industrial participation and supports Namibia's long-term socioeconomic objectives. AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit for more information about this exciting event. Namibia's offshore oil and gas sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, marked by a series of world-class discoveries and heightened exploration activity. The most recent milestone came in April this year, when the Capricornus 1-X exploration well in offshore Block 2914A delivered a successful light oil discovery. Operated by Rhino Resources alongside partners Azule Energy, Namcor and Korres Investments, the well encountered 38m of high-quality net pay, flowed over 11,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) during testing and confirmed the presence of a commercially viable light oil system. Capricornus 1-X mirrors the characteristics of the nearby Venus and Graff discoveries, reinforcing the Orange Basin's position as a globally significant petroleum province. The African Energy Chamber (AEC) – as the voice of the African energy sector – recently commended the PEL85 joint venture partners for delivering one of Namibia's most significant oil discoveries to date, noting its potential to catalyze further investment, fast-track appraisal drilling and accelerate development initiatives. Drilling momentum is set to remain strong throughout 2025, with seven wells planned this year alone. These include Marula-1X by TotalEnergies and a second PEL85 well planned by Rhino Resources, as well as the Kharas prospect within BW Energy's Kudu license. Additional prospects at Olympe and Saturn have also been identified, signaling continued confidence from major international operators. Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy has confirmed new licensing opportunities in 2025 under an open licensing regime, spanning deepwater, ultra-deepwater and shallow-water environments. The country's Petroleum Commission has emphasized the government's commitment to attracting fresh investment while ensuring discoveries are fast-tracked to first oil and deliver tangible benefits to the national economy. Beyond exploration, development planning is advancing on two of Namibia's largest finds. TotalEnergies' Venus project in Block 2913B is targeting a 2026 final investment decision and ap planned 150,000-bpd FPSO facility. Galp is progressing appraisal of its Mopane discovery, supported by 3,500km 2 of newly acquired high-density seismic data. 'Tom Alweendo's leadership and deep understanding of Namibia's energy landscape come at a pivotal moment for the country's resource development. His insights will be invaluable in guiding discussions on how to translate world-class discoveries into sustainable economic growth and long-term benefits for all Namibians,' states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber. Namibia's emergence as one of the world's most promising oil frontiers – underpinned by a stable regulatory environment, competitive licensing terms and a strong governance framework – positions the country as a leading destination for global upstream investment. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Zawya
11-08-2025
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa's Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Joins African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 as Upstream Development Gains Pace
South Africa's Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe will speak at this year's edition of the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies conference – taking place September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town. His participation comes as the country advances developments in oil, gas and infrastructure, seeking to address key economic challenges by monetizing untapped energy resources. Minister Mantashe's return to the event reflects a strong commitment to engaging global investors and advancing the development of South Africa's energy resources. Rich in a variety of resources – most of which are largely untapped – the country has been revising its policies in recent months under efforts to secure foreign capital and drive projects forward. Key developments include the launch of the South African National Petroleum Company – a dedicated state-owned oil corporation – and the implementation of the Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Act. During AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025, Minister Mantashe is expected to share insights into the role policy plays in realizing the country's petroleum goals. AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit for more information about this exciting event. South Africa is advancing offshore oil and gas exploration under efforts to unlock similar commercial finds to those made in neighboring Namibia. The country's Orange Basin holds significant promise and ongoing exploration campaigns seek to open new frontiers offshore. Energy major Shell has recently received the greenlight to drill in the Northern Cape Ultra Deep block. The company plans to drill at least five deepwater exploration and appraisal wells in the Orange Basin, the results of which could lead to play-opening discoveries. Additionally, energy major TotalEnergies is targeting a two-well wildcat campaign in the South African side of the Orange Basin. Drilling is expected to commence in 2026. Recent Merger&Acquisition activity in South Africa reflect a strong international drive to unlock the country's potential oil and gas resources. Notably, Eco Atlantic – through its subsidiary Azinam South Africa – acquired a 75% working interest in Block 1 in June 2024. The company serves as the operator and will carry out a work program. Energy majors TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy acquired participating interests in Block 3B/4B in March 2024, while Africa Energy Corp become operator of Block 11B/12B – situated in the Outeniqua Basin. Ongoing exploration projects stand to reposition the country as an oil and gas producing market. On the gas front, South Africa is making strides to enhance fuel security through domestic gas monetization projects. Energy company Renergen – currently the country's sole onshore gas producer – operates the Virginia Gas Project in the Free State province. Producing LNG and liquid helium, the project is expected to support economic growth across the province. Minister Mantashe visited the project site in June 2025, reflecting strong governmental support for onshore gas development. With the country's gas industry still in its infancy stage, the government is working to establish strong regulations to entice investment and development across the gas value chain. These include the Gas Master Plan (GMP) – currently under review – which provides a roadmap for critical infrastructure. The GMP is poised to spur the development of LNG terminals, pipelines and strategic production and storage infrastructure. Minister Mantashe's participation at AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 builds on these regulatory efforts to unlock new opportunities for international participation across the South African oil and gas market. His insights are expected to support new deals as the country accelerates exploration, production and development projects. 'Through targeted regulation, South Africa is significantly improving the business climate for international companies. Policies such as the GMP and Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Act will drive investment across the value chain, unlocking new opportunities for broader economic growth and energy security. By investing in strategic basins such as the Orange Basin and advancing onshore gas production, South Africa is well-positioned to achieve its energy goals,' stated Tomás Gerbasio, VP of Commercial and Strategic Engagement, African Energy Chamber. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Zawya
04-08-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Angola Becomes Official Lead Sponsor of African Energy Week (AEW) 2025, Reflecting Drive to Advance Investment
Angola has become the official Lead Sponsor of the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies conference – Africa's largest energy event scheduled for September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town. Powered by the country's upstream regulator the National Oil, Gas&Biofuels Agency (ANPG) and national oil company (NOC) Sonangol, the sponsorship comes as Angola celebrates 50 years of independence in 2025 and reflects a broader commitment to advancing African energy production. With goals to enhance crude production while fast-tracking non-associated gas development, Angola is leveraging flexible investment structures and forward-looking policy to increase capital expenditure across the oil and gas value chain. Building on decades of success as one of the continent's leading oil and gas producers, the country is laying a strong foundation for future growth by engaging global investors, introducing new block opportunities and gearing up for regional trade and integration. As the AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 Lead Sponsor, Angola has committed to working with regional partners to advance Africa's energy goals. AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit for more information about this exciting event. Over the past five decades, Angola has positioned itself as sub-Saharan Africa's second biggest oil producer, with output measuring above one million barrels per day (bpd) in recent years. While the country has faced production decline since peaking in 2008, aggressive reforms by the government have already begun to turn this trend around. Reforms came with the establishment of the ANPG in 2019 and divestment of Sonangol – enabling the NOC to focus its activities as an operator. Since this restructuring, Angola has enacted a series of bold measures to attract fresh investment in exploration blocks, introducing a multi-year licensing strategy that seeks to award 50 concessions by 2025. To date, up to 40 concessions have been awarded, with a 2025 licensing round offering a further ten blocks in the offshore Kwanza and Benguela basins. The country also introduced a permanent offer scheme, enabling companies to invest through direct negotiation, as well as five marginal field opportunities. These investment avenues grant companies the flexibility they need to invest, laying the foundation for significant spending across the market. Looking ahead, Angola has secured $60 billion in upstream investment over the next five years, reflecting a strong drive by international operators to maximize the potential of Angola's hydrocarbon resources. A series of large-scale projects are on track to bolster crude production while forays into non-associated gas development will enhance LNG exports and domestic gas utilization. These include the Azule Energy-led Agogo Integrated West Hub Development in Block 15/06, which achieved first oil from the Agogo FPSO in July 2025. The vessel joins the operational Ngoma FPSO at the site, increasing production capacity to 175,000 bpd. TotalEnergies also brought two oil projects online in July 2025: the 30,000 bpd Begonia project and the 30,000 bpd CLOV Phase 3 Development. Situated in Block 17/06 and Block 17 respectively, the projects offer a boost to the country's production portfolio. Meanwhile, Angola's first non-associated gas project – led by the New Gas Consortium – is advancing to first production in early-2026. Featuring the Quiluma and Maboqueiro fields, the project will provide feedstock for the Angola LNG facility, enhancing exports and revenue generated from gas. In July 2025, Angola also made a gas discovery at Block 1/14 in the Lower Congo basin, with initial estimated showing reserves of one trillion cubic feet. These developments will not only consolidate Angola as a major oil and gas supplier but bring significant economic benefits for the population. The country's AEW: Invest in African Energies sponsorship is poised to support its industry goals, while creating new pathways for investment and deals. 'Angola is on the precipice of unlocking significant production growth, with recent projects pointing to greater economic opportunities for the country. Angola's last 50 years have shown a country that is resilient, focused on growth and committed to laying strong foundations for the economy. But it is the country's next 50 years that will truly define it as a global oil and gas hub,' stated Verner Ayukegba, Senior Vice President, African Energy Chamber. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
