Omanghana
Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is currently in discussions with potential partners to develop a major onshore oil block in the Voltaian Basin, an area believed to hold “billion-barrel” resource potential.
The project forms a central part of Ghana’s broader strategy to expand hydrocarbon exploration beyond its established offshore fields and unlock new energy resources inland. The Voltaian Basin spans about 103,600 square kilometers, covering nearly one-third of the country’s landmass and making it one of the largest underexplored inland basins in Africa.
GNPC, through its exploration subsidiary Explorco, has indicated it is ready to move forward with drilling activities even if it does not secure external partners. Officials say preparations are underway for a multi-well exploration campaign, with the first two wells expected to be drilled by the end of the third quarter of 2026.
At the same time, the government is actively seeking technically and financially capable investors to participate in the project through farm-down arrangements, allowing partners to share both the risks and potential rewards of the large-scale exploration effort.
The push into the Voltaian Basin comes alongside a wider $3.5 billion investment program aimed at stabilizing and increasing production in Ghana’s offshore oil sector. Key partners in the Jubilee and TEN fields have committed about $2 billion toward new drilling activities, while Eni and its partners are investing an additional $1.5 billion to expand output at the OCTP fields.
In a separate development, the government is also moving to take control of the WCTP2 offshore block, originally discovered by Springfield E&P. The block is estimated to contain around 1.5 billion barrels of oil and 1.2 trillion cubic feet of gas, and officials believe state-led management could accelerate its development.
If successful, exploration in the Voltaian Basin could significantly reshape Ghana’s energy sector by reducing its reliance on offshore production. It also has the potential to drive economic growth, create jobs, and support infrastructure development, particularly in the northern parts of the country.
Source: Omanghana
