• Eni awarded 1,300 km2 across offshore Block A1 in The Gambia.
  • Energy major also secures reconnaissance rights across 15 deepwater Guinea blocks.
  • Dual deals signal rising confidence in the next phase of MSGBC frontier exploration.Italian energy major

Eni has strengthened its position in the MSGBC frontier through a pair of major offshore agreements in Guinea and The Gambia, securing basin-scale acreage across two of West Africa’s least-explored hydrocarbon provinces.

The company’s latest expansion places the supermajor at the forefront of the region’s next exploration wave, raising fresh questions about how the region’s improving investment climate and offshore potential could shape the next phase of exploration across the MSGBC basin.

Deepwater Gamble Unfolds as Eni Probes Offshore Zone

The Gambian license agreement was signed on June 5 by Gambian Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines Nani Juwara and grants Eni rights to explore Block A1, located within the Atlantic Margin, a region associated with several major offshore discoveries.

The agreement grants Eni access to a deepwater acreage – considered one of the country’s most prospective remaining offshore assets – covering approximately 1,300 km2 in water depths ranging from 1,250m to 3,000m.

Eni is expected to undertake geological studies, seismic data evaluation, environmental assessments and prospect maturation before making any drilling decisions.

The Gambia Moves to Close the West African Offshore Gap

While neighbouring Senegal has drilled more than 140 wells, only a handful of offshore wells have been drilled in Gambian waters. Recent moves by the country aim to turn this trend around, specifically efforts to strengthen seismic coverage, improve investment terms and attract new players to the market.

The Gambia Petroleum Commission estimates that modern 2D and 3D seismic data now covers roughly 80% of the country’s offshore territory, providing investors with improved subsurface information. Several open blocks remain available for licensing, including acreage containing prospects considered geological analogues to discoveries made offshore Senegal.

Cany Jobe, Director General of The Gambia Petroleum Commission, told Prospect that: “Eni’s entry is a strong vote of confidence in both The Gambia’s offshore prospectivityand the reforms we have undertaken to strengthen the investment climate.”

The government has recently awarded additional exploration licenses, launched its first petroleum testing laboratory and expanded regulatory initiatives aimed at improving sector oversight.

“New entrants bring capital, technology and fresh technical perspectives that help de-risk the basin, while each new investment strengthens confidence across the wider industry,” Jobe added.

Building a Deeper MSGBC Basin Footprint

Beyond The Gambia, Eni’s most significant regional expansion came in neighbouring Guinea, where the company signed an agreement on June 3 granting reconnaissance rightsacross 15 deepwater blocks covering 49,089 km2 of frontier offshore acreage.

Through Guinea’s state-owned SONAP, the government has developed a digital petroleum cadastre covering its offshore blocks, expanded access to geological data and pursued international quality standards to align its petroleum sector with global industry expectations.

Guinea has also intensified international engagement through global investment platforms and strengthened transparency initiatives, including achieving a strong extractive industries transparency initiative validation in 2026.

Guinea’s Deputy Minister of Energy, Hydraulics and Hydrocarbons Bachir Camara told Prospect that “to industrialize locally, we must transform what we produce.,”signaling the country’s commitment to advancing oil and gas exploration.

Combined with investment protections, fiscal incentives and a more structured regulatory framework, these reforms helpreduce investor concerns and create the conditions for a major operator such as Eni to commit to large-scale offshore studies.

Could State Participation, Regional Infrastructure Support Development?

While Eni’s expansion signals rising confidence in frontier exploration, long-term success will depend on whether Guinea and The Gambia can convert early momentum into commercially viable projects through stable fiscal terms and efficient regulation.

Regional infrastructure could also strengthen project economics, with nearby LNG and export developments offering potential commercialization pathways for future discoveries. As activity accelerates across the MSGBC basin, the focus now shifts from exploration potential to which markets can turn frontier acreage into long-term production.

SOURCE 

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