The Senegalese government has signed a Protocol of Agreement with Italian energy company Eni, marking a new step in the country's exploration of its offshore oil and gas resources. The agreement, concluded on the sidelines of Gastech 2026, covers the evaluation of five offshore blocks: SN01M, SN02M, SN03M, SN07M, and SN40M. These blocks are located in the Saint-Louis Offshore Shallow, Cayar Offshore Shallow, Rufisque Offshore, Saint-Louis Offshore Profond, and Senegal Offshore Sud Profond areas.
However, some social media posts have suggested a link between the agreement and the Yakaar and Teranga discoveries, claiming that the government is "giving away" this strategic asset. The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum has strongly refuted these claims, stating that the Yakaar-Teranga discoveries are actually identified as SN08M in the new national oil domain demarcation. This block is not part of the five blocks covered by the Protocol of Agreement with Eni.
The Ministry attributes the confusion to an outdated working map of the oil domain, which does not reflect the final configuration. This map has been presented as evidence, but it may give a misleading representation of the perimeter actually covered by the agreement. The Ministry emphasizes that the agreement with Eni is not a petroleum contract and does not constitute an attribution of exploration or exploitation rights.
Under the agreement, Eni will conduct preliminary studies at its own expense to deepen the geological and geophysical knowledge of the five blocks. The program includes analysis of 2D and 3D seismic data and available well data to assess the oil and gas potential of the areas concerned. Technical exchanges, specialized workshops, and knowledge transfer actions are also planned.
The agreement is part of a broader strategy to revive oil and gas exploration in Senegal. The government aims to improve knowledge of the country's sedimentary basin, valorize available data, and attract new international investors. The participation of Eni, an international energy group, is seen as a signal to the oil and gas industry about the potential of the Senegalese basin.
The agreement also provides for the involvement of PETROSEN, the national oil company, which will play a central role in the knowledge, promotion, and valorization of the national sedimentary basin. The government intends to strengthen PETROSEN's technical and operational capacities, improve its data mastery, and consolidate its role in resource evaluation and partnership-building with international investors.
The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum has called for responsibility in the dissemination of information related to national oil and gas resources, as Senegal seeks to accelerate exploration of its basin and attract new partners in the sector. The Ministry emphasizes that the agreement with Eni does not involve the Yakaar-Teranga discoveries and does not constitute an attribution of petroleum rights.
Key points
- The Senegalese government has clarified that the Yakaar-Teranga discoveries are not part of the five offshore blocks covered by the agreement with Eni.
