• $150–$300 million subsea contract targets output from mature field

• Project aims to boost production without building new platforms

• Move supports Angola’s effort to stabilize oil output

Angola’s Block 15, one of the country’s key offshore producing assets, has entered a new phase of development as ExxonMobil seeks to extend its operational life.

The U.S. oil major has awarded an engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) contract to the Subsea Integration Alliance (SIA), according to a statement released on April 30 by Subsea7, one of its members. The contract covers the Redevelopment 2.0 Likembe project, which aims to revive and maximize production from the field.

Under the agreement, SIA—bringing together SLB OneSubsea and Subsea7—will carry out subsea tie-back work to connect the field to existing infrastructure on Block 15. The contract is valued between $150 million and $300 million. This approach allows ExxonMobil to increase output without building new platforms, limiting capital spending.

Project execution will be managed from Subsea7 offices in Paris, Luanda, Lisbon, and Sutton. SLB OneSubsea will manufacture subsea control systems in Norway, including smart cables used to power and manage equipment installed on the seabed.

A Subsea7 executive said the project draws on experience in West Africa, Australia, and the United States, and aims to meet high safety standards while supporting local skills development in Angola.

A mature asset after decades of production

Operated by ExxonMobil since its award in 1994, Block 15 remains one of Angola’s most strategic offshore assets. Company data show the block includes 19 commercial discoveries, with recoverable resources estimated at about 3 billion barrels, of which 2.5 billion have already been produced since operations began in 2003.

According to analysis from Mordor Intelligence, the Kizomba fields within the block are about 85% depleted. This situation requires continued drilling activity to maintain production levels.

At its peak, output from Block 15 exceeded 600,000 barrels per day, supported by four floating production units: Kizomba A, Kizomba B, Mondo, and Saxi-Batuque.

In November 2025, ExxonMobil secured an extension of its operating license for Block 15 through 2037, following discussions with Angolan authorities.

The investment comes as Angola seeks to reverse a structural decline in oil output since leaving OPEC in 2023. The government aims to maintain production above 1 million barrels per day.

According to a February 2025 report by the IMF, more than three-quarters of Angola’s economy depends on the oil sector, with 83% of GDP directly influenced by crude price movements.

Abdel-Latif Boureima