Ghana’s long-anticipated Voltaian Basin drilling campaign has moved closer to reality following the signing of a major project management consultancy agreement between GNPC Explorco and LubriMax Ghana Limited together with its technical partner Well Engineers and Planners.

The agreement, signed signal a significant milestone toward Ghana’s first large-scale inland oil and gas drilling programme, marking a strategic shift beyond the country’s established offshore petroleum operations.

“GNPC EXPLORCO signed strategic agreements with Lubrimax and Well Engineering Partners (WEP) to support preparations for exploration activities in the Voltaian Basin.”
GNPC EXPLORCO

Targeting First Well in 2026

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Managing Director of GNPC Explorco, Samuel Opoku Arthur, expressed confidence that the partnership would accelerate progress toward spudding the first exploration well by the third quarter of 2026.

He emphasized that the collaboration must not only deliver technical success but also contribute to long-term national capacity building.

“The collaboration brings world-class technical expertise to advance Ghana’s onshore exploration ambitions and strengthen local capacity in the upstream sector.”
Samuel Opoku Arthur, Managing Director of GNPC Explorco

Mr Opoku Arthur urged the partners to prioritize skills transfer to Ghanaian engineers, noting that developing local expertise will be critical for sustaining future phases of onshore exploration.

The Voltaian Basin project is widely regarded as a cornerstone of Ghana’s broader energy diversification strategy, which seeks to expand hydrocarbon exploration into inland sedimentary basins.

Scope of the Partnership

Under the agreement, LubriMax and Well Engineers and Planners (WEP) will provide comprehensive project management consultancy services for the entire onshore drilling campaign.

LubriMax, a Ghanaian-owned industrial supplier with operations spanning the oil and gas value chain, will coordinate local logistics, procurement support and interface management.

WEP, headquartered in Hoogeveen in the Netherlands, brings decades of international well engineering expertise to the project.

The firm specializes in well design, drilling supervision, risk management and health, safety and environmental oversight across oil and gas, geothermal and solution mining projects worldwide.

The combination of local operational knowledge and global technical experience is intended to ensure that the drilling campaign meets international engineering and safety standards.

Chief Executive Officer of LubriMax, Blaise Kudatugu, described the contract as a historic opportunity for Ghana’s energy sector.

“This is the first time Ghana is undertaking onshore petroleum exploration at this scale.
“For us, it is a privilege to support a national project of this importance and to ensure it is executed to the highest engineering and safety standards.”
Blaise Kudatugu, Chief Executive Officer of LubriMax

Mr Kudatugu noted that the collaboration reflects confidence in Ghana’s ability to manage complex energy projects domestically while leveraging global expertise where necessary.

He added that the partnership with WEP will blend local insight with international technical capabilities to manage the drilling programme effectively.

“Our role is to provide end-to-end project management consultancy for the onshore exploration campaign.
With WEP’s well engineering background and our local operational support, we are confident the project will be delivered successfully and bring economic value to the country.”
Blaise Kudatugu, Chief Executive Officer of LubriMax

Strengthening Ghana’s Upstream Ambitions

The Voltaian Basin Project represents Ghana’s flagship onshore petroleum frontier initiative. While the country has achieved notable success in offshore production since the discovery of commercial oil in 2007, inland exploration has remained largely untapped.

By advancing Voltaian Basin drilling, GNPC Explorco aims to build national capacity for independent operatorship and deepen Ghana’s technical capabilities in exploration and production.

As the upstream exploration and production arm of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Explorco is mandated to lead exploration in Ghana’s inland basins and strengthen the country’s role as an operator rather than solely a partner to international oil companies.

Preparatory works for the project are reportedly progressing steadily, with geological assessments, logistical planning and regulatory engagements underway ahead of the 2026 drilling target.

If successful, the Voltaian Basin drilling campaign could open a new chapter in Ghana’s petroleum history, potentially unlocking additional hydrocarbon resources and stimulating economic activity in inland regions.

Beyond resource discovery, the project is expected to generate employment opportunities, boost local supplier participation and enhance technical skills within Ghana’s energy workforce.

The partnership underscores a deliberate strategy to combine domestic enterprise with international best practices, ensuring that Ghana’s onshore exploration ambitions are executed efficiently and safely.