Sierra Leone has taken a major step toward unlocking its oil and gas potential with the completion of a promising offshore 3D seismic survey, as the country positions itself to become West Africa’s newest oil and gas frontier.
The development was announced by Vice President Mohammed Jalloh on his official LinkedIn account on Monday.
The survey was carried out in collaboration with UK-based consultancy GeoPartners, along with BGP, F.A Oil Limited, and the Petroleum Directorate.
On Monday, Jalloh formally bid farewell to the BGP vessel crew and project partners, commending their cooperation in an exercise he described as “a significant step towards Sierra Leone accelerating oil and gas exploration.”
“On behalf of the President, I thanked Geo Partners, BGP, and F.A Oil Limited for this seminal work and the successful collaboration with the Petroleum Directorate,” Jalloh said.
“The findings of this survey have been promising and are expected to unlock significant opportunities for Sierra Leone in the oil and gas sector.”
Officials say the survey marks a milestone in Sierra Leone’s efforts to attract investment and strengthen energy security. Preliminary results point to encouraging prospects for commercially viable oil and gas reserves.
“We look forward to seeing the fast-track processing results and re-evaluating the leads and prospects that have been identified,” GeoPartners said.
According to Jalloh, the findings could support the nation’s energy security ambitions and serve as a catalyst for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
What you should know
This marks Sierra Leone’s first offshore 3D seismic survey in over a decade. The offshore study began in May and took six weeks to complete.
The new preliminary data is expected to help reduce exploration risks as the country actively courts global investment in its oil sector.
Importantly, it will guide the government in determining block availability and gauging investor interest ahead of its sixth oil and gas licensing round scheduled for October. The fifth bid round took place in 2023.
In June, the Director General of the Sierra Leone Petroleum Directorate, Foday Mansaray, revealed that up to 60 offshore blocks could be offered in the upcoming round.
He however noted that ultra-deep offshore zones would likely be reserved for direct negotiation.
Sierra Leone is believed to hold an estimated 30 billion barrels of oil equivalent recoverable offshore, but past exploration efforts by Anadarko and Lukoil have fallen short of proving commercial volumes.
Nevertheless, the government hopes the latest 3D survey will deliver concrete results that can help it join the ranks of new West African oil producers such as Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire.
As Vice President Jalloh concluded, “Sierra Leone is indeed ready for business.”
