Africa’s upstream oil and gas sector is showing strong momentum as regulatory reforms in key markets improve investor confidence and unlock new capital. Industry leaders emphasize that stable and transparent frameworks are proving critical to sustaining exploration and production growth across the continent.
The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) has signed three new exploration agreements worth more than USD 121 million with international companies in onshore and offshore areas, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources announced on Sunday.
Upstream M&A decelerated in the second quarter of 2025, with value falling 21% quarter-over-quarter to $13.5 billion, according to Enverus Intelligence Research (EIR) summary of Q2 2025 upstream M&A activity and outlook for the rest of the year. EIR analysts say this is the second lowest quarterly deal value since the start of 2024 and placed 1H25 M&A value at $30.5 billion, a 60% drop compared to the first half of 2024.
Ghana’s oil and gas sector is showing clear signs of resurgence, underscored by Eni’s recent declaration of commerciality for the Eban-Akoma complex in the Cape Three Points Block 4. Estimated to hold between 500 and 700 million barrels of oil equivalent, the find marks the country’s largest offshore discovery in years and lies adjacent to Eni’s existing Sankofa production hub, allowing for rapid and cost-efficient development.
Previously in 2025 CNOOC Ltd. announced three startups in the Bohai Sea and three in the South China Sea. The Bohai Sea projects are the Caofeidian 6-4 oilfield adjustment, phase 2 of the Luda 5-2 North field and the Bozhong 26-6 field. The South China Sea projects are Wenchang 19-1 oilfield phase 2, the Dongfang 29-1 field and the Panyu 11-12/10-1/10-2 Oilfield Adjustment Joint Development Project.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed a new executive order introducing performance-based tax incentives to reduce project costs and boost investment in upstream oil and gas operations, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy Olu Verheijen announced on Thursday.
Speaking on the state of the petroleum industry, he highlighted key challenges that have discouraged exploration and production activities, contributing to a consistent drop in oil and gas output over recent years.
The demand for NVIDIA’s NVDA graphic processing units (GPUs) has surged significantly, positioning it as a leading player in the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution and one of the world’s most valuable companies. NVIDIA’s GPU-accelerated computing is transforming various industries, including oil and gas, by expediting complex calculations and enhancing data analysis. This technology improves seismic imaging, reservoir simulations and real-time data analysis, all of which are essential for locating oil and gas reserves more quickly and accurately.
ExxonMobil expects its upstream earnings to be up to $700 million higher for the second quarter compared to the first quarter of the year, due to higher liquids prices, the U.S. supermajor said on Monday in a preview of its Q2 results.
The global flexible pipes market size is estimated to grow by USD 173.3 million from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 2.8% during the forecast period. Rising investment in upstream oil and gas activity is driving market growth, with a trend towards increased use of carbon composite to increase strength. However, fluctuation in crude oil prices poses a challenge. Key market players include BRUGG GROUP AG, CGH Belgium NV, Changchun Gaoxiang Special Pipe Co. Ltd., Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LLC, Continental AG, Davis Standard LLC, FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies Inc., General Electric Co., Hebei Heng An Tai Pipeline Co. Ltd., MAGMA GLOBAL Ltd., Mattr Corp., NOV Inc., NV Bekaert SA, Prysmian Spa, Saudi Arabian Amiantit Co., Shandong Saigao Group Corp., Shell plc, Strohm B.V., TechnipFMC plc, and Wienerberger AG.