Enverus Intelligence

Host Patrick Rutty, Senior Regional Manager Tom Richards, and Senior Analyst Sheik-Imran Azim Rahman assess Syria's latest bid rounds, examining revised fiscal terms, contract lengths, and the geopolitical forces shaping the country's upstream reopening. They then discuss Shell's frontier Velox-1 exploration well offshore Egypt and what an encouraging early result could mean for the underexplored Herodotus Basin, before covering Ratio Petroleum's planned acquisition of Pharos and its significance for Israeli investment in Egypt. The episode concludes with a look at Capricorn Energy's increasingly certain future as takeover interest narrows to Genel.

SSA Regional Manager Jimmy Boulter, Senior Regional Analyst Archie Rowland, and host Patrick Rutty discuss Sonangol’s success at Katambi 2 and speculate about the discovery’s path to commercialization. They then note Eni having found an indigenous suitor for its 5% stake in 18 Renaissance Energy-operated Nigeria blocks before summarizing Nigeria’s new deepwater investment framework and having a think about how much activity – and which projects – it will truly incentivize. Finally, they wrap up with a wild card entry: recent Sao Tome & Principe asset activity.

Europe Regional Manager Anne Jones and host Patrick Rutty decide not to talk about a number of other interesting topics before plunging into Norway operator Vår’s venture into Danish waters and why the deal makes sense. They then have a run at the likely outcomes of bp’s declared intent to sell its remaining UK upstream assets, including thoughts on asset grouping, buyers, and timeline.

Host Patrick Rutty connects with Chester Chua and Shankar Krishnan to note BP’s re-engagement on one of the four exploration blocks offered by South Korea in the deepwater Ulleung Basin. They then follow the BP trail down to the Andaman Sea, where the supermajor is providing technical expertise to ONGC on well locations and drilling operations. Next, a quick review of recent work by Shell and other operators in advancing Queensland’s emerging Tinowon Sandstone tight gas (à la Alberta Deep Basin) play. And lastly, a bit on UK indies rotating into SE Asia, Serica’s acquisition of Pharos – with Vietnam (and Egypt) assets – being the latest example.

Andy McConn recaps his roadshow through Buenos Aires and London, from Vaca Muerta economics to the lull in international upstream M&A and where he sees green shoots in global exploration. Plus a rapid-fire round on which basins and countries are overlooked by investors.