Dakar: The Gambia’s national oil company (NOC), Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), has urged regional NOCs in West Africa to partner on accelerating exploration across the country’s onshore acreage. The call was made by Cany Jobe, Director of Exploration and Production at GNPC, during the Leveraging Frontier Discoveries for Growth in West Africa panel at MSGBC Oil, Gas and Power 2025 in Dakar on December 9.
According to African Press Organization, Cany Jobe emphasized the need for partners to help de-risk the onshore areas and bolster regional collaboration with NOCs, including Petrosen. Jobe noted the current lack of data in onshore regions, which has resulted in slower progress. Petrosen, Senegal’s NOC, highlighted that less than 10% of the MSGBC Basin has been explored and stressed the need for expanding activities into deeper waters, requiring additional 3D seismic data.
Abu Mbengue, Director of Exploration and Promotion at Petrosen E and P, expressed confidence in the potential of the MSGBC Basin, citing similarities with other world-class basins globally. Mauritania’s NOC, Soci©t© Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures (SMH), pointed to a strong track record of 11 oil and gas discoveries from more than 80 wells, emphasizing recent data acquisition with over 100,000 km² of 3D seismic data now available.
Hammadi EL Hadji, Exploration Director at SMH, stated that Mauritania’s offshore petroleum systems are functioning well and reiterated the immense potential of the MSGBC Basin. Energy data and intelligence firm TGS announced plans for new vessels in West Africa and the introduction of low-frequency data sources to enhance data richness and resolution. Robert Holden, Vice President – Africa, Mediterranean and Middle East at TGS, mentioned advancements in satellites, storage, and cloud technologies.
Elsewhere in the MSGBC region, Guinea-Bissau is experiencing renewed offshore exploration activity, driven by major international companies like Apus Energy. The company holds the shallow-water Sinapa and Esperan§a licenses, with a well drilled in 2024 and a potential follow-up well under consideration for 2027. Michael Mosesyan, Drilling Manager at Apus Energy, noted the discovery of some oil plays in the licenses, although not at the same volume as the Sangomar oil field.
The MSGBC Basin has witnessed substantial offshore investment growth, building on the Sangomar oilfield in Senegal and the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) LNG development along the Senegal-Mauritania maritime border. bp, as the operator of the GTA project, confirmed collaboration with both governments to deliver Phase 2, with start-up targeted for 2027. Mariama Ndao, Deputy Country Manager-Senegal at bp, emphasized the focus on unlocking the next phase of the GTA project in collaboration with partners and governments.
