Sierra Leone has signed a reconnaissance permit agreement with Shell, allowing the energy major to carry out advanced geological and geophysical surveys across several offshore blocks, the country’s petroleum authority said on Wednesday.
The agreement, issued by the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone, covers an estimated 20,600 square kilometres of offshore acreage and will focus on basin modelling and petroleum systems analysis.
Officials say the programme is designed to deepen technical understanding of Sierra Leone’s largely untapped deepwater hydrocarbon potential and improve data quality for future exploration decisions.
The move follows a similar data-focused agreement signed with Eni in October, reflecting a broader strategy to attract international oil companies through early-stage, low-risk engagement.
According to the petroleum directorate, the permit will help establish a data-driven framework to guide technical evaluations and support future licensing rounds in the offshore sector.
Director General Foday Mansaray said the government is prioritising high-quality data acquisition to de-risk exploration and accelerate progress toward eventual drilling activity.
He added that the strategy aims to position Sierra Leone as a competitive frontier basin by drawing credible global investors into its upstream sector.
Shell, however, emphasised that such reconnaissance agreements are typically non-binding and primarily aimed at accessing subsurface data to assess potential opportunities.
A company spokesperson noted that the permit does not constitute a commitment to invest, stressing that any future steps would depend on regulatory approvals, technical findings and due diligence processes.
The development highlights Sierra Leone’s push to revive investor interest in its offshore oil and gas prospects amid intensifying global competition for new energy resources.