Madagascar unveils new offshore acreage
The island nation hopes it can emulate hydrocarbons finds in neighbouring Mozambique
Madagascar launched its first licensing round since 2006 in November, offering 44 offshore blocks in the Morondava Basin off the western coast, covering acreage totalling 63,296km². The launch, at the annual Africa Oil Week conference, came just one day before Madagascar held its first round of presidential elections. But officials at Omnis, the state body overseeing the round, decided to push ahead with the launch to take advantage of the showcase offered by the Cape Town event. They hope any change of political leadership will not affect the licensing timetable. "We have already missed a lot of opportunities to promote our resources… we don't want to miss any more occasions," Voahangy Niri
Also in this section
8 December 2025
The Caribbean country’s role in the global oil market is significantly diminished, but disruptions caused by outright conflict would still have implications for US Gulf Coast refineries
5 December 2025
Mistaken assumptions around an oil bull run that never happened are a warning over the talk of a supply glut
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
