The Bureau of Land Management announced on April 25 that the US administration under President Biden is removing almost 50% of the 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA) from oil and gas exploration.

Equinor has reported a significant oil discovery at the Kveikje prospect in the Norwegian North Sea.

New potential unveiled in the San Joaquin Basin, California (CA) where reprocessed 3D seismic surveys and structural geology provide new oil opportunities in an exploration-mature and prolific oil basin.

Shell and Capricorn (50/50 co-venturers) have reported a dry well at 22/12d-13, called the Jaws prospect.

Melbana Energy of Australia and Sonangol, the state oil company of Angola, have made an oil discovery in their joint venture in Block 9 northern onshore Cuba.

Santos (with partner Carnarvon Energy) recently announced the Western Australia offshore Pavo-1 well as a significant oil discovery.

What is the future for the onshore UK unconventional oil and gas business?

Rejuvenating exploration in the Gulf of Suez through the application of modern wide azimuth OBN seismic technology.

Drilling flat spots in the North Sea, with a minimal CO2 footprint can rejuvenate Dutch offshore sector.

In the UK’s ambitious net zero regulatory context, exploration can make a positive contribution to energy security, emissions reduction, local employment and revenue and tax generation to facilitate and subsidise future renewables growth.

The North Africa region offers huge energy opportunities, but the bottom line is that its social challenges need to be solved.

The Egyptian Oil Ministry began 2022 by concluding its 2021 licensing round which offered three blocks in the Gulf of Suez, twelve in the Western Desert and nine in the Mediterranean Sea.

In February 2022, Strike Energy reported a discovery at South Erregulla - encountering two gas intervals in the Wagina and Kingia sands onshore Australia.

TotalEnergies (with 50% partner APA Corp) announced in late February 2022 that their Block 58 well, Krabdagu-1, is a discovery, encountering ~90m net oil and gas pay.

TotalEnergies has made a significant discovery of light oil with associated gas on the Venus prospect, located in Block 2913B in the Orange Basin, offshore southern Namibia.