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Woodside Energy, one of Australia's largest energy companies and the operator of Senegal's first offshore oil development, will participate as a Bronze Sponsor at the African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 Conference and Exhibition, taking place from October 12-16 in Cape Town. The sponsorship comes as its Sangomar project settles into steady production and the company prepares for a second phase.

Sangomar, located around 100 km south of Dakar, delivered first oil in June 2024 and became the cornerstone of Senegal's entry into oil production. Developed at a cost of about $5.2 billion through a 23-well first phase, it produces through the Léopold Sédar Senghor floating production vessel and reached its 100,000 barrel-per-day nameplate capacity within nine weeks of start-up. Woodside operates the field with an 82% interest, alongside Senegal's national oil company Petrosen, which holds 18%.

The field has performed strongly for two years. By December 2025, Woodside reported that Sangomar had produced more than 50 million barrels of oil, about 8% of the field's recoverable resources. Output is now feeding Senegal's domestic refinery alongside cargoes sold into European and Asian markets.

Local participation has been built into the project from the start. Woodside has worked with the Senegalese government to train and employ nationals, develop local supplier capacity and run capacity-building programs – an example of the local-content commitment African governments increasingly expect of international operators.

Sangomar's progress has helped put the MSGBC basin, which stretches across Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, firmly on the global exploration map. Alongside the bp-operated Greater Tortue Ahmeyim gas project, it has shown that the region can move from discovery to production. Since then, a wave of new entrants has extended exploration across the basin, from frontier licensing rounds to fresh seismic studies.

“Woodside's delivery of Sangomar has done more than open Senegal's oil industry; it has shown that the MSGBC basin can compete for global capital,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Woodside has proven it is a credible operator committed to local content, the kind of partner the region needs to build a lasting industry."

Beyond the MSGBC basin, Woodside Energy is making forays into Africa’s established markets. The company signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this year to conduct studies at Blocks 25, 26 and 43 offshore Angola. The agreement aims to identify investment opportunities across the assets, paving the way for an exploration campaign and analysis of geological and geophysical data. It also reflects Woodside Energy’s broader strategy to expand its portfolio across high potential African markets, paving the way for new collaborations and discoveries.

The company’s participation at AEW 2026 demonstrates a commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening its African portfolio. As a Bronze Sponsor, Woodside is expected to feature in discussions on deepwater development, new exploration hotspots and the investment driving the next phase of growth across Africa’s oil and gas market.