Vaalco Completes Gabon Wells Drilling, Advances Baobab Campaign
October 7, 2026
Vaalco Energy has completed its Phase 3 drilling program offshore Gabon after bringing the ETSEM-3H development well onstream at an initial stabilized rate of about 2,000 barrels of oil per day, while drilling has started on its Baobab Phase 5 program offshore Côte d’Ivoire.
ETSEM-3H, the final well in the Phase 3 campaign, was drilled in an attic position within the SE Etame field and encountered 300 meters of net pay in Gamba reservoir sands along its lateral wellbore.
The well is producing about 2,000 bpd gross, or 1,140 bpd net to Vaalco. Borr Drilling’s Norve jack-up drilling rig has been demobilized from the field following completion of the campaign, the company said.
“We are pleased with the results of the ETSEM-3H development well, which was landed in an attic location within the SE Etame field, and is now on production at about 2,000 gross BOPD (1,140 BOPD net to Vaalco). This represents the final well in our successful Phase 3 drilling campaign, and the drilling rig has now been demobilized from the field,” said George Maxwell, Vaalco Energy’s CEO.
Offshore Côte d’Ivoire, Vaalco Energy has started the Baobab Phase 5 drilling campaign by batch-setting the top-hole sections of the new wells.
The current campaign comprises four production wells, three water injectors and two workovers. Once the top-hole sections have been drilled, the wells are planned to be completed and brought onstream sequentially.
The company expects the first new producer to come online near the end of 2026, with production increases expected in 2027.
