The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has taken a significant step towards strengthening international partnerships, enhancing technical cooperation, and advancing upstream investment opportunities for Ghana through its participation at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) Brasil in Rio de Janeiro.
Building on its successful presence at OTC Houston earlier in the year, GNPC’s engagement in Brazil underscored a deliberate effort to reinforce its long-term operatorship ambitions, explore new collaborations, and strategically position Ghana’s petroleum sector within the dynamic global energy landscape.
GNPC’s participation formed a critical part of its overarching strategy to foster broader international cooperation, build strong technical capacity, and drive sustainable growth across Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector.
The Corporation’s high-level delegation—led by Board Chairman Professor Joseph Oteng-Adjei, alongside members of the governing board and senior executives including Acting CEO Kwame Ntow Amoah, Deputy Chief Executive (Exploration & Production) Mr. Michael Aryeetey, and other directors—attended the conference at the express invitation of the Brazilian Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Institute (IBP).
The conference brought together over 23,000 participants from 53 countries, serving as a key global platform showcasing cutting-edge innovations shaping the future of deepwater and low-carbon energy development.
A central highlight of the visit was a series of strategic meetings between GNPC and the leadership of Petrobras, Brazil’s national oil company and a global deepwater major.
GNPC’s delegation held two rounds of discussions with Petrobras President and CEO, Ms. Magda Chambriard, and her executive team.
These high-level engagements focused on deepening cooperation in core areas including exploration and production, technology transfer, research and development, and capacity building for Ghanaian technical professionals.
During the discussions, Acting CEO Kwame Ntow Amoah presented a detailed overview of GNPC’s upstream growth strategy, outlining its key subsidiarisation agenda and short-term operational priorities across both onshore and offshore projects.
In response, Petrobras executives expressed strong interest in several partnership opportunities, including collaboration on new green offshore blocks, evaluation of potential farm-in arrangements in existing fields, and joint ventures within Ghana’s onshore Voltaian Basin Project. Additionally, Petrobras confirmed its readiness to share expertise in deepwater technologies and low-carbon exploration methods, demonstrating a proactive approach to the energy transition.
Demonstrating a commitment to concrete next steps, Mr. Aryeetey formally invited Petrobras to visit GNPC’s data room in Accra to review geological and engineering datasets and further explore collaboration opportunities. Petrobras welcomed the invitation and affirmed its readiness to expedite discussions.
Another highlight of the visit was a technical tour of CENPES, Petrobras’ renowned Research and Development Centre. The facility is globally recognised for its breakthroughs in deepwater technology, machine learning applications in reservoir modelling, and environmentally efficient production systems.
During the tour, GNPC executives explored opportunities for technical collaboration in geoscience and basin evaluation, reservoir and wells engineering, subsea and surface technologies, and research support for GNPC’s own Research and Technology Centre.
Importantly, discussions also covered prospects for seconding GNPC engineers and researchers to Brazil for advanced technical training and international exposure—an essential mechanism for effective skills transfer.
Through these engagements, GNPC reaffirmed its strong interest in leveraging Petrobras’ decades of experience to build globally competitive in-house capabilities, aligned with Ghana’s long-term operatorship ambitions.
Petrobras concluded the meetings by accepting GNPC’s invitation to visit Accra early next year, where both parties will continue detailed discussions and proceed with a technical review of GNPC’s data room to evaluate offshore and onshore opportunities.
GNPC’s proactive engagement highlights its readiness to support Petrobras’ potential entry into Ghana’s upstream sector—an initiative expected to deliver substantial mutual value while reinforcing Ghana’s position as a competitive and attractive exploration destination.
Overall, GNPC’s participation at OTC Brasil 2025 underscores the Corporation’s commitment to deepening strategic partnerships, accelerating technology transfer, and positioning Ghana for sustained growth in an increasingly competitive and technologically demanding global energy landscape.
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