Ian Cloke, COO of Africa-focused oil and gas upstream company Afentra, has joined the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies conference as a speaker. During the event – scheduled for September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town – Cloke is expected to share insight into the company’s strategy for breathing new life into Africa’s maturing assets. As an independent company with a diverse portfolio of production, near-field and exploration assets, Afentra is well-positioned to discuss how junior and independent operators can support production growth in Africa.
With its core portfolio in Angola, Afentra has gradually expanded its presence across the market while seeking new opportunities in regional markets such as the Republic of Congo. Onshore Angola, Afentra secured a 45% non-operated interest in Block KON 15 in April 2025. In July 2024, Afentra signed a formal agreement with Angola’s upstream regulator the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency for the acquisition of a 45% non-operated interest in Block KON 19. Both blocks are situated in the proven yet under-explored onshore Kwanza basin and are adjacent to the legacy Tobias and Galinda oilfields. As such, they offer significant potential for rapid exploration and appraisal. At AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025, Cloke will share insight into Afentra’s investment strategy in Angola, including its expansion into the onshore market.
AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.
In addition to onshore assets, Afentra is targeting increased output at Angola’s offshore blocks, with stakes in Blocks3/05, 3/05Aand 23. In May 2024, the company increased its holding in Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A, following the acquisition of non-operated interests from international energy company Azule Energy. Afentra’s stakes increased to 30% in Block 3/05 and 21.33% in Block 3/05A, with the company inheriting 480,000 barrels of crude oil stock as part of the transaction. Striving to boost production in Angola, Afentra is working closely with the country’s national oil company Sonangol – the Block 3/05 operator – to optimize output at the asset. In a short period of time, the partners increased production at the block from 17,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 22,000 bpd, with plans to bolster output even further. The company is also evaluating a range of investments to support and upgrade existing infrastructure, while evaluating the potential installation of water injection systems, with several light well injections carried out over the past two years.
At Block 3/05A, the operator Sonangol alongside Afentra and other block partners are assessing strategies to boost production. Subsurface mapping has been completed to identify future potential production of injection wells, with the data ranked alongside other rig-related opportunities for selection in the potential 2026/2027 drilling campaign. The project partners restored production in 2023 following a five-year shutdown, with the Gazela-101 well averaging 1,248 bpd gross during 2024. Meanwhile, Block 23 – operated by Namibia’s NOC NAMCOR with 40%, Afentra with 40% and Sonangol with 20% – also holds significant potential. Covering an area of 5,000 km² in the offshore Kwanza basin, the block has a proven working petroleum system.
“Africa’s maturing assets still hold significant upside potential, with new technologies and the expertise of junior and independent players set to revitalize production across these blocks. Afentra is spearheading efforts in this regard, unlocking greater value from the continent’s producing fields. As countries continue to improve their operating environments for independent players, companies such as Afentra are expected to play an even larger role in the continent’s exploration and production landscape,” states Tomás Gerbasio, VP: Commercial and Strategic Engagement, African Energy Chamber.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
