Why Guinea-Conakry could be next frontier for oil and gas

• Located in the MSGBC basin along with Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry is a frontier that is drawing the attention of hydrocarbon investors.
• Guinea-Conakry is improving its investment rules, doing seismic studies, and reaching out to investors to take advantage of this energy industry investment momentum.
• Guinea-Conakry is now less risky for investors because it has high-quality seismic and geological data that lowers upfront costs and uncertainty.

Guinea-Conakry has long been one of the world’s biggest exporters of bauxite, with almost 100 million tons shipped in the first half of 2025. Now, the country is positioning itself strategically to become a player in West Africa’s oil and gas industry.

Located in the MSGBC basin along with Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry is a frontier area that is getting more attention for its hydrocarbon potential. Senegal and Mauritania, which are next to each other, have already reached important goals.

Senegal got its first oil from Woodside’s Sangomar field in June 2024, and both countries started producing gas from bp and Kosmos Energy’s Greater Tortue Ahmeyim field in late 2024.

As the region becomes a key energy frontier, Guinea-Conakry is improving its rules, doing seismic studies, and reaching out to investors to take advantage of this momentum.

 Geological Potential for Oil and Gas Reserves

Guyana and Suriname are both located along the Atlantic Equatorial margin, which means that Guinea-Conakry has a similar geological history.  Its Cretaceous formations, marine source rocks, structural traps, and sedimentary basins are similar to those that made Guyana and Suriname rich in oil, with more than 10 billion barrels found so far.

The country also has a collection of 2D and 3D seismic data covering 17,000 km², as well as historical borehole data. These resources are similar to those that were used for early exploration in Guyana and Suriname.

SONAP’s Part in the New Sector

SONAP (Société Nationale des Pétroles de Guinée) is Guinea-Conakry’s national oil company. It was founded in 2021 and is key to the country’s plans for oil and gas.  SONAP has improved its technical skills by getting advanced field equipment, such as topographic, gas detection, and mapping tools. This has made it easier to evaluate both onshore and offshore acreage. Dr. Lanciné Condé is the Director General.

SONAP has also worked with SLB and TGS to set up its first national seismic data visualization center.  The center has about 15,000 km² of 3D seismic data and 45,000 km² of 2D data, which gives investors a good starting point for exploration.

The first results of the exploration are promising.  Wells like GU-2B-1 and Sabu-1 have shown that there is a working petroleum system in the Upper Cretaceous formations. They have found mature source rocks, good reservoirs, and hydrocarbon shows.

Even though deep water drilling at Fatala-1 didn’t lead to commercial production in the past, geological similarities with proven Atlantic Equatorial Margin basins and promising structures continue to draw investors’ attention.

Guinea-Conakry making oil and gas investments attractive

SONAP has made changes to make Guinea-Conakry a more competitive place for oil and gas.  There is now a national petroleum cadastre, and 22 blocks have been set aside for a possible bidding round.  SONAP put out two bids in April 2025.

One was for the creation of a platform for managing storage and products, and the other was to get the ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 quality and safety certifications.  These steps show a commitment to open government, running things smoothly, and making things easier for investors.

Guinea-Conakry is now less risky for investors because it has high-quality seismic and geological data that lowers upfront costs and uncertainty. Investors who sign up for the licensing round early can get good terms before the competition gets tougher.

These changes will be talked about more at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2025 Conference and Exhibition, which will be held in Dakar on December 9 and 10.  International investors will be able to talk directly with SONAP at the event, look at available blocks, and learn more about Guinea-Conakry’s growing hydrocarbon potential.

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