Maurel & Prom

Palace Intrigues
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Paul Biya, Patrice Talon, Andry Rajoelina

Intrigues big and small... Every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

GabonTurkey's BGN cosies up to General Oligui

CameroonPaul Biya refuses to replace head of presidential guard

BeninPatrice Talon on voicemail only at ECOWAS summit

MadagascarRajoelina to be sworn in without a French minister present

Gabon
New regime prepares to pre-empt Carlyle's oil assets

Until recently, Maurel & Prom was the best-placed bidder for US investment group Carlyle's Gabonese oil interests, but the new regime in Libreville is working on an alternative all-Gabonese takeover plan.

South Africa
Pertamina seeks new investment opportunities at Africa Energy Week

Indonesian firm Pertamina is already active in Gabon and intends to expand its footprint throughout the continent.

Spotlight | Gabon
Maurel & Prom rivals hope for post-coup reallocation of Carlyle assets

The new regime in Libreville will need to give its verdict on the planned sale of Carlyle's oil assets in Gabon to Maurel & Prom. Ali Bongo's government did not formally approve the deal and some disappointed parties believe they have an opportunity to get back into the running.

Gabon
New oil minister Marcel Abéké faces foreign investor challenge

Gabon's new minister of hydrocarbons has just announced new measures aimed at improving the country's drawing power with foreign operators. Yet his efforts have had little impact on his intended audience, whose interest had already waned before the coup.

Angola
China Sonangol International Holding to exit Block 3/05A

Chinese-Angolan oil company China Sonangol International Holding Limited (CSIHL), which is based in Hong Kong, will shortly leave oil block 3/05A, on Luanda's northern coast.

Gabon
Perenco, Maurel & Prom and Assala remain sanguine after coup

Since the coup on 30 August, oil operators in the country have continued regardless. They are working to build relations with the new power, whose choices of oil and gas officials have been reassuringly well-known figures.

Gabon
Post-coup, oil companies are being called to account

Despite officially denying that it is carrying out an audit, Gabon's Ministry of Hydrocarbons has asked the oil companies operating there to provide a list of all payments made to the state from 2020 to 2023.

Gabon
Gabon coup: oil minister Massassa questioned by intelligence services

Ali Bongo's final oil minister, Vincent de Paul Massassa, is being investigated by the Gabonese intelligence services. It's a situation that is worrying some oil operators in the country.

Gabon
Maurel & Prom still in the running for Carlyle's assets

The Indonesian oil group Pertamina's international arm Maurel & Prom (M&P) announced on 13 June that it was still in the running to purchase deposits owned by Carlyle in Gabon.

Gabon
Shortlist of companies set to acquire Carlyle's Gabon assets shifts again

Carlyle and its advising bank Citibank have once again made [...]

Southern Africa
TotalEnergies, Maurel & Prom and Perenco to attend African Energy Chamber forum

Africa's main oil lobby, run by lawyer NJ Ayuk, will organise its next Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris. The event is scheduled for 1 June.

Gabon
Perenco hurries to sell Atora before Carlyle seals sale of its share

Franco-British oil junior Perenco wants to quickly sell its share in Atora field in Gabon for $50m, indicating it does not wish to work with the future owner of Assala Energy's majority share, which Carlyle is in the process of selling.

France, Gabon
French courts speed up Santullo probe

While in Switzerland the investigation into alleged bribery of Gabonese officials by Sericom, a construction firm founded by Guido Santullo, is well under way, France, acting on Gabonese lawsuits, has just summoned several former associates of the late Italian businessman.

Gabon
Citibank shortlists three potential buyers for Carlyle/Assala Energy assets

One of the biggest oil deals in Africa in 2023, involving 50,000 bpd, has the industry in a tizzy. Carlyle has chosen Citibank to handle the sale, and the bank has selected three potential buyers.

Gabon
Pertamina moves to take over Carlyle's Assala Energy

The withdrawal of Assala Energy's sole shareholder, the investment fund Carlyle, is being closely followed by President Ali Bongo a few months before the presidential election. The presidential palace is currently in discussions with the Indonesian oil group Pertamina.

Gabon
Assala denies Carlyle is selling out

Gabon's second largest oil producer Assala Energy is still denying that its sole shareholder, Carlyle, is preparing to sell all of its shares in the junior. Africa Intelligence can however reveal that the private equity fund has already tasked a Citibank team with seeing through the operation.