BW Energy has confirmed commercial oil volumes at two appraisal wells on the Dussafu license offshore Gabon, while separately advancing a major gas-to-power program in Greater Libreville that could expand the country’s generation capacity by up to 450 MW.
BW Energy said appraisal wells 10P2 and 10P1 encountered oil and confirmed reservoir quality sufficient to support two additional production wells, with estimated combined gross recovery of approximately 8–9 million barrels, Oil&Gas Journal reported on October 15.
The 10P2 well encountered a 30-metre oil column in the Gamba reservoir at a structural level consistent with pre-drill forecasts. Wireline logging and pressure testing indicated good porosity and permeability, and BW Energy expects a future production well from the location to deliver initial gross output above 5,000 barrels per day, with estimated incremental recovery of 6 million barrels.
The 10P1 well intersected a 16-metre oil column in a separate accumulation. Formation evaluation confirmed moveable oil and adequate reservoir quality for development through another production well, although the timing of that well will be aligned with the broader Dussafu drilling schedule.
BW Energy, which holds a 73.5% operating interest in Dussafu, said the results support adding at least one fast-track producer to the current MaBoMo Phase 2 campaign. Panoro Energy holds 17.5% and Gabon Oil Company the remaining 9%.
Chief executive Carl Arnet said drilling the appraisal wells before the production wells had “paid off,” adding that the company had proved additional volumes and could add a high-value well with a payback period of less than one year.
The rig is now moving to the MaBoMo facility, where BW Energy plans first to replace an electrical submersible pump on a Hibiscus well. It will then drill four MaBoMo Phase 2 production wells, followed by a fifth well at the 10P2 location.
Each new well is expected to start at around 5,000 barrels per day gross. As the wells are brought online sequentially, MaBoMo Phase 2 could reach peak gross production of up to 20,000 barrels per day.
The program will be followed by an infill well at Tortue and the Bourdon Phase 1 development, with first oil targeted for the first quarter of 2028. BW Energy also plans Walt Whitman and further Bourdon appraisal drilling in 2028, supporting a long-term gross production target of 30,000–45,000 barrels per day from Dussafu.
The company has also secured $208 million in project-level lease financing for the Akoum wellhead platform for Bourdon, alongside an 18-month extension of its $250 million revolving credit facility. The 12-year lease with Minsheng Financial Leasing covers the full platform capital cost and includes an eight-year fixed term with a four-year extension option.
In the power sector, United States-based Aurion Capital Holdings has signed a memorandum of understanding with Gabon and national utility Société d’Énergie et d’Eau du Gabon (SEEG) for the Panthera Power program in Greater Libreville. The agreement was signed on September 8.
The program is designed to deliver between 150 MW and 450 MW of capacity, combining gas-fired power plants with gas supply, transmission and distribution infrastructure. Aurion said the initiative is expected to attract more than $1 billion in financing, with development and financing led by the company and its partners rather than the Gabonese government.
SEEG is expected to purchase the electricity generated and act as technical partner for grid connections, power evacuation and operating conditions. A steering committee comprising SEEG and Aurion will oversee feasibility, technical, environmental and social impact studies before definitive agreements are negotiated.
The project aligns with Gabon’s National Energy Compact under the Mission 300 initiative, which targets 1,100 MW of installed generation capacity by 2030 and identifies $4.17 billion in investment needs between 2026 and 2030, including $2 billion from private sources.
