• TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy secured Congo’s Nzombo deepwater permit with SNPC under a production sharing contract.

• The consortium will drill one exploration well by the end of 2025, leveraging proximity to Moho facilities to reduce costs.

• Congo targets 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) by 2027, with Nzombo seen as key to boosting output and attracting further investment.

TotalEnergies has been awarded the Nzombo exploration permit offshore the Republic of the Congo, marking a significant step in the country’s bid to expand its oil and gas output. The permit, signed under a production sharing contract, is held by TotalEnergies (50%, operator), QatarEnergy (35%), and state-owned Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (15%).

The block spans approximately 1,000 square kilometers in deep water, extending up to 1,500 meters,  and is located about 100 kilometers off Pointe-Noir, near TotalEnergies’ Moho facilities. Proximity to existing pipelines and platforms is expected to lower capital costs and speed development.

The consortium plans to drill one exploration well before the end of 2025, with the initial exploration phase expected to last six years. The permit was carved from earlier offshore blocks in a bid to optimize Congo’s offshore acreage.

For TotalEnergies, the project strengthens its long-standing presence in the Congo, where it already produces 65,000 barrels per day. For QatarEnergy, it adds another deepwater play to a fast-growing international portfolio. For the Congolese government, the Nzombo permit aligns with its target of increasing crude oil production to 500,000 barrels per day by 2027 and expanding natural gas output under its Gas Master Plan.

Analysts estimate the project could cost about $500 million, with breakeven levels near $45 per barrel of oil equivalent—cheaper than many of Congo’s mature fields. The deal comes as African deepwater investment is forecast to reach $54 billion by 2030, led by operators such as TotalEnergies, Eni, and ExxonMobil.

The companies have pledged to apply strict environmental safeguards, including zero routine flaring. Still, observers point to potential challenges from price volatility and the inherent risks of exploration drilling.

A discovery at Nzombo could materially boost Congo’s offshore output while offering TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy fresh reserves at competitive costs. It would also reinforce Congo’s positioning as an energy hub in Central Africa, balancing growth ambitions with rising global scrutiny on emissions.

Idriss Linge