Vaalco is currently finalizing locations and planning for the next drilling campaign at Etame that is expected to occur in mid-2025. In October 2022, Vaalco successfully completed its transition to a Floating Storage and Offloading vessel (“FSO”) and related field reconfiguration processes. This project provides a low cost FSO solution that increases the storage capacity for the Etame block and improved operational performance. The Company continues to demonstrate operational excellence, production uptime and enhancement in 2024 to optimize production until the next drilling campaign.
The Company recently completed the documentation with the Government of Gabon for the offshore Niosi Marin and Guduma Marin exploration blocks. This follows the technical provisional award announced in October 2021 granting Vaalco a 37.5% non-operating working interest in the Niosi Marin Block (previously G12-13) and the Guduma Marin Block (previously H12-13) located in shallow waters offshore Gabon, with BW Energy as operator (also holding a 37.5% working interest) and Panoro Energy as a non-operating joint owner with a 25% working interest. The Niosi and Guduma blocks cover areas of 2,974 square kilometers (“km²) and 1,927 km², respectively. The Niosi Block is located adjacent to the Etame Marin Permit, where Vaalco operates a successful ongoing exploration and production campaign. To date, the Etame Marin partners have produced and discovered over 150 million barrels of oil, with multiple fields brought online. The area benefits from significant infrastructure investments, including processing facilities and a new FSO vessel installed by Vaalco in 2022 which is located adjacent to the Niosi Marin blocks. The blocks are also adjacent to BW Energy and Panoro Energy’s Dussafu PSC offshore Southern Gabon, which is another area of significant successful exploration and development.
KeyFacts Energy: VAALCO Energy Gabon country profile