Oil · Gas · Energy
In-depth reports, country profiles and learning resources to understand the industry shaping the continent’s economy — from the Gulf of Guinea to the Sahara, from deepwater offshore to refineries.
Featured · In-Depth Reports
Complete Report: Why Does Africa Still Import Its Fuels?
Documented producing countries — click for the profile
In-depth reports
Africa holds over 125 billion barrels of proven oil reserves and 620 trillion cubic feet of gas, yet imports more than 80% of its refined…
Africa holds vast hydrocarbon reserves, and international oil companies bring the capital, technology and expertise to develop them. This…
Africa is emerging in 2025 as a strategic player in global hydrocarbons, with major discoveries in Namibia, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire and…
Africa's deepwater offshore sector has emerged as a key frontier for global hydrocarbon supply, driven by major discoveries and…
The crude spectrum
Its hue ranges from pale yellow to dark brown, even black. As a rule, the lighter a crude (the higher its API gravity), the paler it looks; the heavier and richer in resins and asphaltenes, the darker.
Condensates and very light crudes
E.g. Saharan Blend (Algeria), ≈ 46° APILight crudes
E.g. Bonny Light (Nigeria), ≈ 35° APIMedium crudes
E.g. Cabinda (Angola), ≈ 32° APIHeavy crudes
E.g. Doba (Chad), ≈ 21° APIExtra-heavy crudes and bitumen
Rare in Africa; very viscous, they require specific processes.Indicative values. Colour also depends on composition (sulphur, resins, asphaltenes) and on the thickness observed.
By theme
Exploration, drilling, field development: the upstream oil and gas industry.
2 articles →Refineries, oil pipelines, logistics and petroleum products.
2 articles →LNG, associated gas, flaring, gas pipelines: African natural gas.
3 articles →Decarbonisation, climate and new energies facing hydrocarbons.
2 articles →Crude, production, reserves, exports: all of African oil.
13 articles →Markets
Brent, WTI and natural gas (Henry Hub) — delayed data provided by TradingView, for information only. Privacy
Academy
A course of 11 modules, from geology to geopolitics, designed for students, engineers and anyone who wants to master the fundamentals.
Start the courseRecently published
An in-depth analysis of the national and international oil companies shaping Africa's hydrocarbons sector, with their strategies…
Sudan's oil and gas sector is at a critical crossroads, shaped by South Sudan's 2011 secession and the compounding effects of persistent…
An overview of Uganda's emergence as a hydrocarbon producer: reserves, Tilenga, Kingfisher, EACOP and the Hoima refinery, regulation…
The DRC is best known for cobalt, copper and coltan, but its largely unexplored hydrocarbons sector is gaining strategic weight for…
Algeria holds a leading position in global hydrocarbons, especially in Africa. It is the continent's second-largest liquid fuels producer…
South Sudan's economy is tied to oil, which accounts for about 60% of GDP, 99% of exports and 90 to 98% of government revenue. This…
Mozambique is poised to become a major global LNG player, with Coral South FLNG already producing. Onshore projects face security…
Niger's oil and gas sector is undergoing a major transformation and has become a key driver of economic growth, with exports surging since…
Equatorial Guinea is one of sub-Saharan Africa's leading oil producers, but production is declining. This report reviews the sector, its…
Algeria
Angola
Congo-Brazzaville
Côte d'Ivoire
DR Congo
Equatorial Guinea
Gabon
Ghana
Libya
Mauritania
Mozambique
Niger
Nigeria
Senegal
South Sudan
Sudan
Uganda
