Equatorial Guinea will launch its next oil and gas licensing round in April 2026, according to Antonio Oburu Ondo, Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mining Development. The round, scheduled to run from April to November next year, will offer up to 24 blocks comprising both onshore and offshore acreage.
The new licensing round forms part of the country’s upstream growth strategy and builds on the open-door licensing policy introduced in 2023. This policy has already generated seven new production sharing contracts and secured a multi-billion-dollar deal with energy major ConocoPhillips.
“The Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Mining Development invites all companies worldwide to participate in the 2026 licensing round,” Minister Ondo stated, adding, “Join us in developing these vast resources for the benefit of our country.”
To support the licensing process, over 9,000 square kilometers of seismic data in the Rio Muni Basin is being reprocessed. Global oil and gas surveyor Searcher Seismic is acquiring and reprocessing 2D and 3D data across underexplored areas to provide potential bidders with comprehensive geological information.
Source: Energy Capital & Power