• Panoro plans three-well initial development pending investment approval
• Project builds on active Dussafu Marin block, producing about 30,500 bpd

The Bourdon oil discovery offshore Gabon is moving toward a final investment decision (FID), according to an operational update published by Panoro Energy on Wednesday, Jan. 21. The Norwegian company said the project is in the maturation phase ahead of the investment decision but gave no timeline for its approval.

Pending an FID, Panoro plans an initial development plan based on three wells tied back to a single production area. It also identified additional nearby prospects following drilling operations but did not say whether it intends to develop them.

In March 2025, BW Energy, operator of the Dussafu Marin permit, announced an oil discovery at the Bourdon prospect after drilling to a depth of about 4,135 metres. In April 2025, the Bermuda-based company said the discovery could support a four-well development campaign linked to the field’s development.

The Bourdon project adds to ongoing activity on the Dussafu Marin permit. A final investment decision was taken in late October 2025 for the MaBoMo Phase 2 project, located on the same block, with several wells planned and first production targeted for the second half of 2026. Panoro also said it has completed new seismic campaigns in adjacent areas to identify future exploration targets.

BW Energy holds a 73.5% stake in the Dussafu Marin offshore permit, alongside Panoro Energy with 17.5% and the Gabon Oil Company with 9%. Production from the block comes from several oil fields, including Moubenga and Walt Whitman. The permit currently has 14 producing wells across the Tortue (6), Hibiscus (5), Hibiscus South (2) and Ruche (1) fields. Output is processed on a BW Energy-operated floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit.

Gross production from the permit averaged about 30,500 barrels per day in the fourth quarter of 2025, BW Energy said, with net production of about 22,400 bpd to the operator and 5,343 bpd to Panoro Energy.

Abdel-Latif Boureima