VAALCO Energy is reporting a surge of operational momentum across West Africa, with strong well results from its offshore Gabon drilling campaign and the successful restart of production at the Baobab field offshore Côte d’Ivoire combining to push the company’s output to record levels.
The Ebouri-5H development well in the Etame Marin Block offshore Gabon — drilled by the Borr Norve jackup rig — was completed at the top of the Ebouri field structure, encountering approximately 300 metres of net pay in high-quality Gamba sands. The well was brought onstream at an initial flow rate exceeding 8,000 gross barrels of oil per day, equivalent to around 4,700 barrels per day net to VAALCO, with very low water cut. The result represents a strong performance that exceeded pre-drill expectations.
Following the completion of Ebouri-5H, the drilling rig has mobilised to the SEENT platform, where VAALCO plans to drill the ETBNM-3 development well — the first of two planned producers at that location. The directionally drilled well will target gas and condensate resources in the Dentale D15 reservoir near the GMF-1X discovery on the North Tchibala structure. Natural gas from a successful ETBNM-3 well will be used to support field operations, significantly reducing reliance on the higher-cost diesel currently transported offshore by vessel.
In Egypt, VAALCO also completed and brought online the HE-9 development well — the first well in its 2026 onshore drilling programme — which encountered 26 metres of net pay in the Asl B reservoir and achieved an initial flow rate of 529 gross barrels of oil per day, above the company’s pre-drill expectations.
Meanwhile, the Baobab field on the CI-40 block offshore Côte d’Ivoire has returned to production following a nine-month refurbishment of the Baobab Ivoirien Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in Dubai. The FPSO was returned to Côte d’Ivoire in early Q2 2026, moored into position, and reconnected to field infrastructure. Production has resumed from four producing wells, with the remaining three producers expected to come online shortly.
The Baobab FPSO refurbishment was undertaken to extend the vessel’s operational life ahead of a significant development drilling programme planned for the second half of 2026. Phase 5 of that programme is expected to include four producers, two to three injectors, and two workovers, providing meaningful additions to production. VAALCO holds the CI-40 block licence through 2038.
The combined results pushed VAALCO to a record company production of 15,283 barrels of oil equivalent per day in May 2026, up 41% year-to-date, despite natural declines from legacy fields. The company continues to target an exit production rate of 18,000 to 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by year-end 2026.
“With the Baobab field successfully restarted and the continued successes in the Gabon and Egypt drilling campaigns, we have many positive achievements year to date, and we believe that the remainder of 2026 will be profitable,” said George Maxwell, VAALCO’s Chief Executive Officer.Source: worldoil.com | offshore-mag.com | oedigital.com | energy-pedia.com | oilreviewafrica.com