{
  "id": 8517153,
  "title": "Equatorial Guinea Oil Round Offers 24 Blocks as Output Falls",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/equatorial-guinea-oil-round-offers-24-blocks-as-output-falls",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-19T18:21:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Rio Times",
    "slug": "the-rio-times",
    "url": "https://www.riotimesonline.com/equatorial-guinea-oil-licensing-round-government-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Equatorial Guinea is auctioning 24 exploration blocks for oil and gas, as the country's economy has contracted significantly. The blocks are spread across offshore and onshore basins, and the bidding process is expected to continue until 2026. The government has opened a policy of direct negotiation with companies, bypassing a formal bid window. The round is backed by a seismic program estimated at US$60 million. Three blocks have already been signed, and the largest block covers 600 square kilometers with potential resources of 104 million barrels of oil and condensate and 215 billion cubic feet of gas. However, the lack of published bid deadlines, block lists, and models for production sharing contracts raises questions about the formalization of the round. The macroeconomic context is dire, with real GDP contracting 6.4% in 2025 and further declines projected for the coming years. Hydrocarbon output has fallen by 14% year-on-year, and the overall economy is now smaller than it was in 2005. The government relies heavily on hydrocarbon revenue, which accounted for 14.2 percentage points of total government revenue in 2025. The fiscal balance is projected to worsen, with public debt rising to 39.2% of GDP in 2025. Despite these challenges, Equatorial Guinea is also investing in infrastructure related to its oil production, such as the liquefaction plant at Punta Europa.",
  "summary": "Equatorial Guinea's EG Ronda offers 24 oil and gas blocks through November, weeks after the entire government resigned over missed targets. Output fell from 241,000 to 55,000 barrels a day. The post Equatorial Guinea Oil Round Offers 24 Blocks as Output Falls appeared first on The Rio Times .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}