The licenses, identified as PPL 2000 and PPL 2001, cover about 2,000 square kilometers in the West Delta basin. They were awarded under the 2024 Exploration Round conducted by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. TotalEnergies will lead operations with an 80 percent interest, while South Atlantic Petroleum will hold the remaining 20 percent.

As part of the work program, the partners are expected to drill one exploration well. Kevin McLachlan, Senior Vice President for Exploration at TotalEnergies, described the award as significant, noting that it is the first time in more than ten years that an international company has secured exploration rights through a Nigerian bid round.

TotalEnergies has operated in Nigeria for over six decades, employing around 1,800 people in different business areas. In 2024, the company’s output from Nigeria stood at 209,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. It also runs a nationwide network of about 540 service stations.

The company said the new blocks are considered highly prospective and align with its core strengths, describing them as “drill-ready” with strong potential for high-impact discoveries.