Armel Simondin, CEO of independent oil and gas company Perenco, will showcase the company’s strategy to unlock oil and gas resources in West and Central Africa during the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 conference. As a leading producer in markets such as Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Congo, the company is well-positioned to discuss the state of play of Africa’s exploration and production landscape.
Perenco has placed natural gas at the heart of its development strategy. One of the company’s biggest projects is the Cap Lopez LNG terminal in Gabon, set to start operations in 2026. The project involves the construction of an LNG terminal at the existing Cap Lopez oil terminal, with an FLNG vessel monetizing offshore gas resources. The FLNG unit – under construction in Dubai – will have a capacity of 700,000 tons LNG and 25,000 tons of LPG per annum, with storage facilities with capacity of 137,000 cubic meters. The $1 billion project made a final investment decision in 2023 and represents Gabon’s first large-scale gas development. At AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025, Simondin will provide an update on the project, highlighting the role natural gas is expected to play in West Africa.
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Beyond the Cap Lopez LNG terminal, Perenco is advancing LPG deployment in Africa. The company inaugurated the $50 million Batanga LPG plant in Gabon in 2023, producing 15,000 tons of LPG per annum. The project has enabled the country to reduce LPG imports by between 40-50%, with production geared towards the domestic market. The plant also provides feedstock for a 20 MW power plant in Mayumba. In Cameroon, Perenco launched its first-ever gas-to-industry supply project in July 2024. The Bipaga Gas Processing Center utilizes natural gas reserves from the Sanaga South field to supply the Keda tile factory with between 3.5 million and 6.5 million cubic feet of gas per day. Gas is transported via a 6-km pipeline, powering the factory’s electrical generators and kilns. The milestone follows Perenco’s acquisition of a 9.9% stake in Golar LNG, which operates the Cameroon FLNG terminal.
Meanwhile, with a focus on shallow and marginal fields, Perenco is driving a series of offshore oil projects in Africa, with plans to expand its portfolio of producing assets. The company is ramping up drilling activities in the Republic of Congo, with plans to increase output to 100,000 barrels per day (bpd). From mid-2025, Perenco will operate two to three rigs in the country for a period of two years, focusing on assets such as Tchibouela-Est, Masseko, Emeraude and Marine XXVII. The company is targeting new field developments, surface optimizations and continuous infrastructure improvements in the country.
The company is also accelerating drilling activities in the DRC. At present, Perenco is the only major oil producer in the country and seeks to optimize assets and bolster production. Through its DRC subsidiary Muanda International Oil Company, the company made an oil discovery during an offshore drilling campaign in the DRC in 2024. The discovery signals the first offshore find made in the country in nearly three decades. The Moke-East well – situated between the Lukami and Motoba fields – encountered a 24-feet net oil-bearing column. Additionally, in Gabon, the company spud an appraisal well near the Hylia South West discovery – made in 2023 – in February 2024. The well targets the Ntchengue Ocean (NTO) reservoir and lower Madiela carbonate reservoir, with results showing substantial oil-bearing columns in the NTO reservoir.
Simondin’s participation at AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 will not only provide an overview of the company’s vision for Africa’s oil and gas market but showcase the instrumental role independent operators are playing across the continent’s hydrocarbon markets. From project updates to future investments to challenges and emerging opportunities, Simondin’s insights will support discussions around Africa’s oil and gas future.
“Perenco is making significant strides towards unlocking new oil and gas plays in Africa. Through its rich portfolio of natural gas projects and oil exploration and production, the company is creating lucrative opportunities for the countries in which it operates. This portfolio not only showcases the value of independent operators in Africa but highlights the level of opportunity available across the continent,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.
*African Energy Chamber
