Sierra Leone launches new offshore initiative
The West African nation taps two-year-old UK firm in an attempt to spur interest in its undeveloped upstream
Sierra Leone has signed a reconnaissance permit agreement (RPA) with London-listed independent Wildcat Petroleum to identify offshore “blocks which have the potential to yield commercially viable oil finds”. The RPA covers 20 deepwater blocks covering 24km² and grants Wildcat the “non-exclusive right” to conduct studies for six months. The agreement does not give Wildcat any pre-emptive rights over acreage, but the company will negotiate for petroleum exploration and production licences, “if block(s) with the potential of containing commercially viable oil discoveries are identified”. The London-listed firm’s “top priority is to secure a stake in a producing asset”, but the Sierra Leone expl

Also in this section
7 February 2025
The history of tin production and prices offers a preview of the future oil market. If correct, $35/bl could become the new normal for crude for several years without further OPEC+ intervention
7 February 2025
Changing oil demand patterns mean different downstream economics amid switch to naphtha, LPG and other petrochemicals
6 February 2025
Policy initiatives will take time to reverse declining output, and restoring investor confidence is far from certain
6 February 2025
This premier event is poised to address the evolving technology and investment demands of North America’s thriving chemical and pharmaceutical sectors