Senegal and Italian energy group Eni signed a memorandum of understanding on September 14, 2026, in Bangkok, covering the assessment of the oil and gas potential of five offshore blocks. The agreement opens a new phase of exploration in Senegal’s sedimentary basin and could further strengthen the country’s attractiveness to international energy investors.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of Gastech 2026, the major international conference dedicated to gas, LNG and energy technologies, held from September 14 to 17 in Bangkok. The blocks concerned are SN01M, SN02M, SN03M, SN07M and SN40M. The memorandum provides for preliminary studies and technical assessments aimed at determining their hydrocarbon potential.
A New Phase in Exploration
According to Reuters, Eni will independently finance and carry out the technical, geological and geophysical studies required to assess the five areas. The Italian group will work within the development framework alongside Petrosen, Senegal’s national oil company.
The initiative comes as Senegal seeks to further assess and develop its substantial offshore potential. The country’s sedimentary basin includes 32 blocks, 25 of them offshore, while several major oil and gas discoveries have been made offshore over the past decade.
Eni’s interest is also significant from an industrial perspective. An assessment phase makes it possible to determine the quality of geological structures, the possible presence of commercially viable resources and the technical conditions required for their future development.
A Growing Senegalese Oil and Gas Market
The agreement comes amid strong momentum in Senegal’s energy sector. The country became an oil producer with the start-up of Sangomar in June 2024 and has also begun gas production through the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, developed jointly with Mauritania.
Senegal is also seeking to attract new capital, technologies and expertise into exploration. The government has announced plans to make 109 oil and gas blocks available to investors, out of a total portfolio of 113 blocks.
For Eni, the agreement provides an opportunity to deepen its understanding of Senegal’s offshore geological potential. For Senegal, it represents an important evaluation stage before any possible decision on advanced exploration, drilling or commercial development.
The significance of the agreement therefore goes beyond the signing of a memorandum. Successful studies could help expand the country’s energy resource base, stimulate investment in oilfield and related services, and further develop local skills and value chains linked to the hydrocarbons industry.
The Bangkok agreement thus marks a new step in assessing Senegal’s offshore resources, at a time when the country is seeking to transform its energy potential into investment, industrial capacity and new economic opportunities.
