Vaalco is looking to expand in West Africa
Vaalco eyes West African opportunities
The independent US explorer has expanded in Gabon and is looking elsewhere in the region
Houston-based independent Vaalco sees growing opportunity in West Africa as the oil majors trim their portfolios, chief executive George Maxwell tells Petroleum Economist. Vaalco recently almost doubled its stake in Gabon’s Etame field to 58.8pc by acquiring the interest of its former partner, South African energy and petrochemicals company Sasol. That acquisition took the company “to the next level”, Maxwell says, as Etame serves as a stable, secure and cash-generative base for further expansion. Vaalco CEO George Maxwell The firm is “looking to find highly accretive opportunities” for further growth, Maxwell says, with interest “prima
Also in this section
7 August 2025
The quick, unified and decisive strategy to return all the barrels from the hefty tranche of cuts from the eight producers involved in voluntary curbs signals a shift and sets the tone for the path ahead
7 August 2025
Without US backing, the EU’s newest sanctions package against Russia—though not painless—is unlikely to have a significant impact on the country’s oil and gas revenues or its broader economy
6 August 2025
Diesel market disruptions have propelled crude prices above $100/bl twice in this century, and now oil teeters on the brink of another crude quality crisis
5 August 2025
After failed attempts to find a buyer for its stake in Russia’s largest oil producer, BP may be able to avoid the harsh treatment meted out to ExxonMobil and Shell when they exited—and could even restart operations if geopolitical conditions improve
