President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Explorco, the exploration subsidiary of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), will begin onshore drilling activities in the Voltaian Basin before the end of 2026 as part of efforts to assess the commercial viability of petroleum deposits in the area.

He made the announcement while cutting the sod for Phase Two of the Sentuo Oil Refinery Project in Tema.

According to the President, the Voltaian Basin has been identified as having significant petroleum potential, and the planned drilling programme represents a key step in Ghana’s efforts to expand its hydrocarbon resource base beyond existing offshore fields.

He further explained that the refinery expansion is expected to increase processing capacity from 40,000 barrels per day to 100,000 barrels per day, thereby strengthening the country’s petroleum refining capacity.