TotalEnergies Announces New Offshore Congo Discovery

TotalEnergies has confirmed a new offshore hydrocarbon discovery at the Moho licence in the Republic of Congo, reinforcing the country’s upstream expansion strategy and its ambition to raise production towards 500,000 barrels per day.

The find was made at the Moho G structure within the established Moho complex, where drilling encountered an estimated 160-metre hydrocarbon column in high-quality Albian reservoirs. Early assessments indicate strong development potential in one of Congo’s most productive offshore areas.

The licence is operated by TotalEnergies with a 63.5% stake, in partnership with SNPC and Trident Energy, underscoring continued collaboration between international operators and state-linked entities in the country’s upstream sector.

A key feature of the discovery is its proximity to existing infrastructure, including the Alima and Likouf FPSO units, which together offer around 90,000 bpd of processing capacity. This enables potential tie-backs that could lower development costs, accelerate first oil, and improve project economics.

The Moho complex already accounts for more than half of Congo’s crude production, and the latest discovery strengthens the case for infrastructure-led exploration—an approach increasingly favoured across mature African basins. TotalEnergies has already committed over $500 million in 2025 to expand Moho Nord, signalling continued investment confidence in near-field opportunities.

Broader sector activity is also accelerating. Perenco has advanced its Kombi 2 platform project, a $200 million investment targeting additional output from mature offshore fields, alongside a planned multi-well drilling campaign from 2026.

In parallel, Congo is expanding its gas profile through the Congo LNG programme led by Eni. The launch of the Nguya floating LNG unit, combined with the Tango FLNG vessel, has lifted total capacity to around 3 million tonnes per annum, strengthening the country’s position as a growing African LNG exporter.

Overall, the Moho G discovery highlights Congo’s strategy of maximising existing offshore infrastructure while layering targeted exploration and gas development. This integrated approach is expected to support incremental production growth, improve recovery rates, and sustain investor interest in the basin as global capital becomes increasingly selective.