Accra, Ghana — A new well at the Jubilee field has come on stream, steadying national crude output that had slipped by roughly one third since 2019, official statements indicate.
The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation said the J — 74 injection well began production in late December, helping to offset natural decline at the ageing offshore deposit. Sources close to the sector estimate the addition keeps the country’s overall production close to 130,000 barrels per day, in line with levels reported earlier in 2025.
Jubilee, brought online in 2010, underpinned a decade of rising exports and helped finance roads, ports and power plants.
Output peaked near 200,000 bpd four years ago but has since fallen as investment budgets shrank and no major discoveries were sanctioned. Independent observers say the drop illustrates the difficulty of sustaining flows without fresh drilling or new fields.
President John Mahama’s administration is seeking foreign partners to reverse the slide.
According to a government communiqué released after the Africa CEO Forum, Accra is offering “improved fiscal terms” to companies willing to appraise existing finds and develop smaller satellites.
The statement argues that extracting reserves “while global demand persists” will prevent them from becoming stranded.
The push collides with climate commitments. Ghana’s updated energy plan targets net-zero emissions by 2070, and an ongoing International Monetary Fund programme requires gradual cuts to fuel subsidies. Environmental groups say expanding fossil-fuel infrastructure risks locking the country into high-carbon assets; officials have not yet detailed how new projects will align with the long-term emissions goal.
Meanwhile, construction has started on a 12-billion-dollar petroleum hub near Tema.
The refinery — petrochemical complex is designed to process domestic crude and end almost total reliance on imported gasoline and diesel. Regional officials confirmed the first pile was driven in August, but financing for later phases remains under negotiation.
Further details on J — 74’s exact flow rate and the timeline for additional Jubilee drilling were not immediately available.
The energy ministry said updated production figures will be published in the first — quarter 2026 report.
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Source: Africa.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
