Read the latest news from NVentures, and get insight to the Africa's E&P

Exploration Drilling
A discovery was reported end of January by Total and partners in South Africa. The Brulpadda-1AX re-entry well on Block 11B/12B encountered 57m of net gas condensate pay over two Lower Cretaceous reservoirs. Reports from Total suggest it is gas condensate and light oil, and could contain 1BBO of oil equivalent. The well was drilled on 2D, with a strong DHI, so the group are planning to shoot 3D and get back to drilling up to four more prospects on the block by the end of 2019. QPC have done well to participate early on, they have also been successful with ExxonMobil at the Glaucus gas discovery in Cyprus. Africa Energy Corp also participated, as did Impact Oil and Gas.
In Angola, Eni are believed to be drilling ahead with 15/06_B on the 15/06 Block, L Congo Basin.
In Chad, no further updates from Delonex, but NVentures and Airbus scouting suggest three wells have been drilled to date, Khanem West 1, Talha 1 and Haraze 1. They lie within the Kenem Sub-basin which contains some 10 km+ of sedimentary rocks and forms part of the 1,000 km long elongate Termit Basin.
In Egypt, Eni and partners EGAS, BP, Mubadala and Tharwa are drilling ahead Nour-1X, Nour North Sinai Offshore. The prospect is located approximately 50 km from the coastline and 91 km NE of the El Gamil Gas onshore processing plant.
Offshore Ghana, Aker and Lukoil continue to drill up the Deepwater Tano CTP Block, with Pecan South 1A spudding recently. The well is a near field exploration well aiming to test the extent of the Pecan discovery and confirm Aker Energy’s understanding of the geology in the area and to identify deep oil water contact in the Pecan reservoir.
Perenco are understood to be drilling ahead on the Mitsongo prospect offshore Gabon, spud in January. Misongo-1 well is located in 70m of water, c.8.5 km SE of the Simba Marine-1 marginal oil discovery (2003 - also within the Perenco permit), and c.4.5 km WSW of the AKMC-1 dry hole
Onshore Morocco Sound Energy are preparing for the TE 11 well, and PEL are believed to drilling ahead again at Tamanar 2, targeting 650m deeper into the Triassic. Activities are supported by recent satellite imagery.
Two wells are reported in Tunisia. Mazarine Energy continue with their SMG 1 well, Zaafrane Permit, relatively close to Ghrib process facilities. OMV are drilling the Shalbia 1 wildcat, in the south of the country on the Jenein Sud permit.
In Nigeria there are reports of drilling at Osmu 1 (Eroton) and Kolmani River 2 (NNPC)
 
Exploration Transactions
In Cameroon SNH and Perenco announced a new award. A PSA was signed for exploration on the Bomana block. In Egypt, the Petroleum Ministry announced the results of the successful 2018 Bid Round. The winners of 12 concessions include Neptune Energy, Merlon, Shell, Eni and EGPC, all of whom were awarded 7 oil exploration concessions. 5 gas concessions were awarded to Shell, ExxonMobil, BP, DEA and Eni. ExxonMobil is entering gas in Egypt, whilst Shell was awarded 3 concessions for oil and 2 for gas. (See deals montages in the Report for more information). DEA has been awarded 100% of the East Damanhour exploration block, originally offered as Block 10, by EGAS as part of its 2018 bid round. DEA plans to drill 5-7 exploration wells during the first exploration phase of 3 years.
Offshore Equatorial Guinea Kosmos has taken advantage of the sale of Ophir Energy, acquiring a further 40% WI from the exiting firm in Block EG 24. Kosmos will have 80% as they acquired 40% of the block in 2018. Kosmos has already carried out a block-wide 3D seismic survey during the 1st exploration period.
In Morocco onshore, SDX has been awarded 75% interest of the Moulay Bouchta Ouest exploration licence for 8 years, and has been re-awarded 75% interest of the Lalla Mimouna Sud licence (ONHYM retain 25%).
In Namibia, Impact has agreed to farm-in with Total E&P Namibia on Block 2912, immediately west of the two firm’s JV on 2913B. Total will have 66.11%, Impact will have 18.89% and NACMOR will have 15%. The group plan to drill the enormous Venus prospect later this year on 2913B.
 
Exploration Bid Rounds
The new petroleum agency in Angola, ANPG, has announced License Rounds with 53 onshore and offshore blocks in the Lower Congo, Kwanza, Benguela and Namibe Basins together with acreage in the frontier Etosha, Okavango and Cassange Basins. The Agência Nacional de Petróleoe e Gás, has replaced Sonangol as the country’s concessionaire. The first set of Blocks 10, 11, 12, 13, 27, 28, 29, 41 and 43, will be released in 2019, with other packages of acreage being released over the next 4 years. Blocks 6, 46 and 47 have been subject to direct negotiation and are expected to be awarded later in 2019 as well.
In Ghana 16 companies, including five majors, submitted a total of sixty applications for the five blocks on offer in Ghana’s First Licencing Round. The applicants include Eni, Cairn, Harmony Oil and Gas Corporation, ExxonMobil, CNOOC, Qatar Petroleum, BP, Vitol, Global Petroleum Group, Aker Energy, FIRST E&P, Kosmos, Sasol and Equinor.
OMNIS have announced they have cancelled the planned 2018 Bid Round for acreage in the Morandava Basin offshore Madagascar, following a decision by the newly elected government.
Somalia’s First License Round was launched in London where 15 blocks, covering an area up to 5,000 sqkm, across the SE coastline are being offered.