Ghana has begun formal steps toward a possible state-led takeover of the Afina-1x oil discovery in the West Cape Three Points Block 2 (WCTP2), one of the country’s most disputed and undeveloped offshore assets.
The move comes after years of stalled progress on the field, which was discovered by Springfield Exploration and Production but has since been locked in regulatory and commercial deadlock.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, authorities confirmed that the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and its upstream subsidiary, GNPC Explorco, are engaged in “constructive discussions” with Springfield.
The government says the objective is to protect national petroleum resources and prevent commercially viable reserves from being left idle as the country confronts declining output and global shifts in energy investment.
To ensure an impartial and technically robust process, the Petroleum Commission and GNPC have initiated procurement to appoint an independent Technical Consultant and a Transactional Advisor.
Their responsibilities include a full technical assessment of WCTP2, verification of Springfield’s past expenditure, a comprehensive financial and commercial due diligence review, and an independent valuation of the company’s stake.
The ministry also reiterated its commitment to boosting local participation, saying that any future development of the WCTP2 block will align with policies aimed at building a competitive, Ghanaian-led oil and gas industry.
