Italian energy giant Eni has made its first-ever entry into Gambia, signing a petroleum exploration, development and production licence agreement with the Government of The Gambia for offshore Block A1 — a deepwater acreage stretching some 1,300 square kilometres off the country’s Atlantic coast.
The agreement was signed by Gambia’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Nani Juwara, formally granting Eni exploration rights to a block situated in water depths ranging from 1,250 metres to 3,300 metres — placing it firmly in the frontier deepwater category.
Block A1 lies within the Atlantic Margin, a geological province that has attracted growing industry attention following a series of hydrocarbon discoveries in recent years. Eni described the block as sitting in an underexplored portion of the margin with demonstrated hydrocarbon potential, offering meaningful opportunities for future exploration activity.
The award expands Eni’s already considerable exploration footprint in West Africa and fits squarely within the company’s stated strategy of building a geographically diversified portfolio spanning proven hydrocarbon provinces, emerging basins, and frontier areas with significant resource upside.
For The Gambia, the agreement opens a new chapter in its upstream ambitions, positioning the country as a potential participant in the wave of Atlantic Margin discoveries that have reshaped the energy map of West Africa in recent years.
Source: worldoil.com | oedigital.com