The upcoming ARPEL conference, hosted by the Association of Oil, Gas and Renewable Energy Companies of Latin America and the Caribbean on June 1-4 in Buenos Aires, will serve as the primary catalyst for the creation of a new cross-Atlantic energy corridor. Convening regional stakeholders and energy leaders from South America and the Caribbean, the event provides a strategic platform to advance South American commercial interests in Africa, opening doors to institutional technology transfer, cross-continental investment and shared operational experiences. Centering this narrative at the summit, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) will lead a delegation to Buenos Aires, with Acting Chairman NJ Aiyuk scheduled to brief regional operators on the expanded scope of bilateral market entries.
Ayuk's participation comes as Africa enters one of its most active upstream investment cycles in more than a decade. The continent is expected to see upstream capital expenditure of approximately $41 billion in 2026, while licensing rounds and new market entry opportunities continue to expand in Angola, Nigeria, Tanzania, Algeria, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea. Emerging markets such as Namibia have already seen 60% exploration success in recent years, while new discoveries made in Ivory Coast and commercial development have expanded drilling activities on both onshore and offshore routes. Companies that position themselves as early-movers stand to capture this value, highlighting a unique opportunity for South American companies, particularly those with proven frontier experience.
Perhaps one of the most strategic partnership avenues is the natural gas sector. For its part, Africa is rapidly positioning itself as one of the world's next LNG hubs, with companies moving to unlock resources in proven – yet undeveloped – margins. Mozambique's Rovuma (129 Tcf) and Nigeria's Niger Delta (113 Tcf) alone contain up to 140 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of discovered yet undeveloped resources, highlighting the scale of opportunity across the continent. Africa already supplies 8.5% of global LNG, but as global geopolitical events tighten global supply chains, this figure is expected to quadruple by 2050.
Another frontier for growth is Africa's shale gas market. While the continent has some of the world's largest untapped shale resources, many countries face operational and technical barriers to commercialization. Algeria alone has more than 700 TCF of non-risked shale gas resources, while countries such as South Africa and Tanzania are evaluating their own tight gas and shale opportunities.
South America's expertise in gas production positions it as a key partner for Africa. The development of Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale formation – which accounts for 70% of its gas production – has established operational expertise in horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, completion design, supply chain optimization and unconventional regulatory management – capabilities that many African markets are actively exploring. The country is currently one of the largest gas producers in the region, producing 4.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), with Brazil currently producing 5.4 Bcf/d – mainly from associated oil projects. Other markets such as Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela offer proven experience in LNG, cross-border energy infrastructure and export facilities.
“The Atlantic is no longer a barrier; it is a commercial corridor. No country in the Southern Hemisphere is better positioned to partner with Africa on unconventional energy development than Argentina. By exporting Vaca Muerta's hard-won expertise, South American companies can capture early-stage value in Africa's newest frontier basins,” Aiyuk says.
These factors underline the value of South America as a strategic partner for Africa, making a strong case for cross-Atlantic technology transfer, shared value chains and investment. The same technology that has been at the core of South America's gas market is already at work in Africa. In particular, Golar LNG is pursuing a multi-billion dollar project in the Vaca Muerta shale formation, having secured a two-decade-long charter for its FLNG unit last year. In Africa, the company introduced FLNG solutions in Cameroon, while helping Senegal and Mauritania emerge as LNG producers. gimme vessel.
Thus, operational knowledge associated with FLNG infrastructure, offshore gas processing and midstream monetization is increasingly becoming a strategic advantage for companies seeking entry into African markets. The upcoming ARPEL conference marks a strategic turning point for both South America, the Caribbean and Africa, laying the foundation for a South Atlantic energy revival, while giving the world's two largest border regions the opportunity to examine world-class resources, common development challenges and a shared interest in ensuring that energy revenues are translated into sustainable economic growth.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the African Energy Chamber.