President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed a fresh hydrocarbon discovery in the Deepwater Cape Three Points contract area within the Tano Basin, offshore Ghana, marking another development in the country’s ongoing petroleum exploration activities.
The discovery was undertaken by Planet 1 Oil and Gas Limited in collaboration with Bowler Upstream Limited and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), according to the President.
Addressing participants at the 2026 Petroleum Commission Local Content Conference and Exhibition in the Western Region on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, President Mahama characterised the find as a significant development for Ghana’s oil and gas sector, particularly because it represents the country’s first successful exploration test of a Cenomanian Turonian carbonate play as the principal target.
“The hydrocarbon discovery at the N1 GDA 9 1 X well in the Deepwater Cape Three Points contract area marks an important milestone for Ghana. It is the country’s first successful test of a Cenomanian Turonian carbonate play as a primary exploration target,” he stated.
The President further explained that the exploration exercise also incorporated the Albian geological formation as a secondary target, demonstrating that the drilling operation was designed to investigate more than one potential hydrocarbon bearing formation.
“Today, the well also targeted the Albian as a secondary objective,” he added.
The latest find brings renewed attention to exploration prospects within the Tano Basin, an established offshore petroleum province that forms part of Ghana’s wider hydrocarbon exploration landscape.
However, the announcement does not necessarily translate into an immediate addition to Ghana’s commercially recoverable petroleum reserves, as further technical assessments will be necessary to determine the actual size, quality and economic viability of the discovery.
The next phase is expected to involve additional appraisal activities to establish the extent of the hydrocarbon accumulation, evaluate its production potential and determine whether the resources can be developed commercially.
The outcome of those assessments will be critical in guiding subsequent investment decisions and determining the possible contribution of the discovery to Ghana’s future petroleum production, government revenues and broader energy sector development.
