Algerian energy company Sonatrach has restarted oil and gas exploration in Libya’s Ghadames Basin, according to the National Oil Corporation (NOC). The project is located in Block 95/96 near the Algerian-Libyan border, about 100 kilometers from the Wafa field.
Sonatrach halted drilling in May 2014 due to security challenges but now plans to reach a target depth of 8,440 feet. The restart builds on an earlier discovery made in February 2013, when Libya’s Ministry of Oil and Gas confirmed that Sonatrach had found oil and gas in the Ghadames Basin.
Initial studies estimated the site’s potential at around 8,200 barrels of crude oil and 1,700 cubic meters of natural gas per day. Libya, which holds Africa’s largest proven oil reserves of about 48 billion barrels, has faced repeated disruptions in production since the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi.
The country remains politically divided between the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) and a rival administration in Benghazi backed by Khalifa Haftar and foreign partners, including Russia. Despite the split, the Tripoli government launched an oil and gas recovery plan in early 2025 valued between US$3 and US$4 billion.
As part of this plan, Italy’s Eni restarted offshore exploration along Libya’s northwest coast in October. The government has also engaged ExxonMobil and Chevron in talks to develop new blocks and boost output from existing fields. In April 2025, Libya took a major step toward reopening its energy sector by launching its first oil licensing round in 17 years.
source: africanminingmarket.com
African Energy Council