Eni has signed an agreement with Senegal to assess the oil and gas potential of five offshore blocks, as part of the Dakar government's strategy to boost exploration. The announcement came yesterday, Tuesday, September 15, from the country's Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, following the signing on the sidelines of the Gastech 2026 trade fair in Bangkok. The agreement concerns the blocks sn01m, sn02m, sn03m, sn07m and sn40mEni will finance preliminary activities, examining 2D and 3D seismic data and available well information to reconstruct the geological and geophysical characteristics of the areas and assess their oil and gas prospects.
The memorandum therefore concerns a study phaseIt also includes workshops, exchanges between technicians and knowledge transfer, with the national company Petrosen in the role of technical partner.
Dakar puts exploration back at the centre
“This signing reflects our desire to bring exploration back to the heart of our oil strategy,” said the Minister of Energy and Petroleum, El Hadji Abdourahmane DioufThe government's goal is to deepen knowledge of the Senegalese sedimentary basin and promote its development, strengthening Petrosen's role in resource management. The agreement is part of a broader program to open up investment. Last week, the minister announced his intention to propose 109 oil and gas blocks to local and foreign investors.
The collaboration with Eni comes as Senegal consolidates its production activity. The offshore field of Sangomar, which entered production in June 2024, has supplied approximately 36,1 million barrels of crude oil in 2025, more than the 30,53 million initially planned.
On the gas front, the project Great Ahmeyim Turtle, developed jointly with Mauritania, started LNG production in February 2025. Data for August 2026 indicate exports of three crude cargoes from Sangomar, equivalent to 2,97 million barrels, and three LNG cargoes from the joint project, totaling 490 cubic meters. It is on this basis that Dakar is now seeking new prospects for its offshore.
