Omanghana
Murphy Oil has announced a significant offshore oil discovery in Côte d’Ivoire, uncovering high-quality light crude at the Bubale-1X exploration well in a development that further strengthens the West African nation’s growing reputation as one of the continent’s most promising energy frontiers.
The discovery was made during drilling operations at the Bubale-1X well, where the company encountered approximately 30 meters of net oil pay containing premium-grade light crude. The result marks the first successful commercial find in Murphy Oil’s ongoing three-well offshore exploration campaign.
Following the encouraging results, the U.S.-based independent energy company plans to advance the project into an appraisal phase later this year. The next stage of work will focus on determining the size of the resource and evaluating its commercial viability and development potential.
The latest discovery comes as Côte d’Ivoire continues to emerge as a major player in Africa’s offshore oil and gas sector, driven by a series of recent exploration successes that have transformed investor interest in the country’s hydrocarbon resources.
The Ivorian government has set ambitious production targets as it seeks to establish itself as a regional energy hub. National crude oil output is projected to increase from around 60,000 barrels per day to 200,000 barrels per day by 2027, supported largely by the development of the giant Baleine and Calao offshore fields.
Looking further ahead, authorities aim to boost production to 500,000 barrels of crude oil per day and more than one billion cubic feet of natural gas per day by 2035, positioning the country among Africa’s leading hydrocarbon producers.
Murphy Oil’s successful discovery reinforces growing confidence in the Gulf of Guinea and the broader Atlantic margin as attractive destinations for frontier deepwater exploration. It also highlights the increasing role of Côte d’Ivoire in attracting international investment as companies pursue high-impact offshore opportunities with significant long-term potential.
Source: Omanghana
