• Petrosen plans $100M onshore exploration campaign starting 2026
• Program aims to assess inland basins and identify viable reserves
• Move marks Senegal’s renewed focus on onshore drilling

Senegal’s national oil company Petrosen will allocate $100 million to an onshore oil exploration campaign beginning this year, according to Chief Executive Officer Alioune Guèye in an interview with Bloomberg reported February 10.

The state-owned company plans to conduct the exploration operations directly, with the objective of assessing the potential of the country’s inland basins and identifying commercially viable discoveries.

Several aspects of the project remain unclear. While the launch is confirmed for 2026, Petrosen has not provided a detailed timeline or specified the geographic basins targeted. The financing structure for the $100 million allocation has also not been disclosed.

Senegal returns to onshore exploration

The announced campaign marks a renewed focus on onshore exploration in Senegal after decades of limited activity in this segment.

Petrosen has previously been associated with onshore discoveries. According to MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power, the Gadiaga gas field, identified in 1996, stands as an earlier example.

In subsequent years, exploration efforts shifted largely offshore. That strategy led to first oil production from the Sangomar field in 2024 and the launch of liquefied natural gas exports under the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project.

Petrosen’s renewed onshore push comes amid broader developments in Senegal’s hydrocarbon sector. In October 2025, Ecofin Agency reported that authorities were considering the construction of a second refinery to process domestic crude, alongside reforms to the country’s legal framework governing hydrocarbon operations.

Abdel-Latif Boureima