Angola awards KON 9 onshore oil block to Vietnamese Xuân Thiện Group, with about 800 million barrels of oil in place

Angola’s National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) said on April 1 that Xuân Thiện Group (XTG) has won the KON 9 oil and gas block in Angola’s onshore Kwanza basin. Through its subsidiary XTP, XTG advanced through evaluation rounds to become the operator of KON 9 with an 80% participating interest. Brite’s Energy holds the remaining 20% stake in a non-operating capacity.

Block overview and geological outlook

KON 9 is located in a favorable geological position within the Kwanza sedimentary basin. Experts cited in the report describe the area as commercially promising, noting that the basin has recorded several significant oil discoveries with large reserves.

Broader investor interest in Angola’s onshore Kwanza basin

KON 9 is part of a wider wave of international investor interest in Angola’s onshore Kwanza basin. Energy Capital & Power said the region is drawing participation from companies including ACE Energy, Walcot Group, and Prime Africa Trade, through efforts to secure operating licenses, sign production sharing contracts (PSCs), or acquire shares in blocks within the same sedimentary basin.

The report links this activity to a broader reassessment of the Kwanza basin, which it describes as underexplored due to Angola’s offshore development history, alongside rising demand for new resource sources.

Resource estimate and why it matters

The KON 9 block has an estimated oil in place of about 800 million barrels. The figure is described as an in-place resource estimate rather than recoverable reserves. Still, the scale of the estimate—combined with the basin’s history of large oil discoveries—supports a positive assessment of KON 9’s potential.

Onshore advantages and crude quality

Being onshore is expected to help reduce costs, shorten development timelines, and support infrastructure deployment compared with offshore projects.

The report also notes that Angolan crude is mainly light to medium sweet with low sulfur content. It says this quality is favored by markets and can fetch higher prices because it can be refined into high-quality gasoline and diesel.

Next steps after the award

After receiving the award notice, Xuân Thiện Group is expected to complete financial obligations and pay technical data fees. It will then sign an oil and gas contract (PSC/RSC), conduct 2D seismic surveys, assess the geological structure, and prepare a development plan.

Operator role and significance

As operator, XTG will manage the full process from exploration and reserves assessment through development and extraction. The report says this is the first time a Vietnamese private group has taken on such a role in a major oil and gas project in Africa, reflecting the group’s financial capacity and project-management capabilities aligned with international standards before global energy regulators.