The permit is for the Nzombo area located 100km off Pointe-Noire on the Atlantic Ocean. QatarEnergy and Congolese state oil company, SNPC are Total's partners in the block's development

Pointe-Noire

French oil company Total has been granted a permit to explore the Nzombo area, an offshore block located 100 kilometers off the coast of the Republic of the Congo. Total's local affiliate will operate the block with a 50 percent stake, while Qatar Energy holds 35 percent and Congo's state oil company SNPC retains the remaining share.

The first exploration well is expected to be drilled before the end of 2025. This development aligns with Congo's goal to boost its oil production to 300,000 barrels per day by 2027, up from the current average of 268,000 barrels per day.

Total wins new exploration permit as Congo seeks to ramp up oil production

Congo has awarded French oil giant Total a permit to explore a block off its coast, the company said Monday. Total's Congo affiliate will operate the area with a 50 percent stake, while Qatar Energy will keep 35 percent. The rest will belong to Congo's state oil company SNPC. The permit is for the Nzombo area, located 100 kilometers off Ponoa on the Atlantic Ocean. Congo's size is 1,000 square kilometers. According to Total, the drilling of the first exploration well is expected to happen before the end of 2025. The development is good news for Congo's ambition to scale up oil production to 300,000 barrels per day by 2027. At the moment, production averages 268,000 barrels per day.

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Breakdown