ReconAfrica Targets Second Gabon Well by Q4 2027

International oil company ReconAfrica plans to drill a second exploration well in Gabon by the fourth quarter of 2027. The company is advancing seismic reprocessing and exploration planning across its 1,214km² Ngulu offshore block in central Gabon, where the company plans to assess the Loba oil discovery and identify additional drilling targets.

Brian Reinsborough, CEO, ReconAfrica outlined the timeline during the Invest in Gabon session at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town, which focused on attracting investment to underexplored acreage through improved fiscal terms and a stable regulatory framework.

“Our first step in the Loba field was to initiate a state-of-the-art seismic program, so that we can better understand the reservoirs and begin to define the broader exploration potential. The project is progressing really well. We expect the first results by the end of the year, then to move quickly into resource estimation for the second well, which we hope to drill this time next year,” Reinsborough said.

The seismic program covers approximately 25 km², with initial results expected by the end of 2026 to inform resource estimates and the selection of a follow-up well. The company’s broader program includes reprocessing existing 3D seismic data covering the Loba discovery and an additional 400 km² of prospective acreage. ReconAfrica entered Gabon’s offshore sector in September 2025, signing a production-sharing contract for the Ngulu block with a 55% operating interest. The block contains the Loba oil discovery and more than 28 mapped exploration prospects across pre-salt and post-salt plays.

ReconAfrica is also evaluating further exploration opportunities in Gabon, with investment decisions shaped by commercial returns, government revenues and local benefits. “The platform has to have three pillars: our shareholders need a return, the government needs revenue to support the country and the communities where we operate must see direct benefits,” he noted.

To reassure investors, Duplex Yockot, Director General of Economic and Legal Affairs at Gabon’s Ministry of Petroleum, said the government had assessed offshore resources, approached targeted investors and opened a virtual data room. “We needed to mitigate the risk rather than immediately transfer it to the companies,” he said. Echoing Yockot’s comments, Edgar Mba Ognane, Managing Director, Assala Gabon, said, “The key is the mindset of the shareholder, the company and the administration in overcoming barriers.”

Clausel Nzigou-Nzigou, SLB’s Central Africa country manager, highlighted the role of technology in extending the productive life of mature oil fields. “Today, recovery rates from oil wells are typically between 25% and 40% under good operating conditions. This means that 60% to 75% of the resource remains in the reservoir, making new technologies essential to maximizing production from mature fields. We use electric submersible pumps to improve well performance and increase output, alongside advanced directional drilling tools that help us characterize reservoirs and position wells more precisely. Reducing production downtime is also critical to maintaining output and improving recovery,” he concluded.