The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, has announced that the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) will commence drilling in the Voltain Basin petroleum block by the first quarter of 2026.

The initiative is expected to boost Ghana’s petroleum resource base and enhance the country’s attractiveness to global investors.

Hardcastle made the disclosure during a working visit to Zeal Environmental Technologies, a local petroleum service provider, at its Nyankrom plant in the Shama District of the Western Region on Friday, August 29, 2025.

She explained that the Petroleum Commission is repositioning Ghana as a competitive investment hub for supermajors in the oil and gas industry while supporting GNPC’s preparations to begin operations in the Voltain Basin.

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Hardcastle also challenged indigenous service companies like Zeal to prepare adequately to play a greater role in the petroleum value chain, emphasising the need for Ghana to maximise benefits from the upcoming drilling activities.

The Petroleum Commission, established by Act 821 of 2011 following the commercial discovery of petroleum, is mandated to regulate and manage the utilisation of petroleum resources and coordinate upstream petroleum policies.

The visit to Zeal Environmental Technologies was part of efforts to strengthen collaboration with local service providers.

Commending Zeal for its pioneering role in petroleum waste management in Ghana’s offshore industry, Hardcastle urged the company and others to be ready to seize new opportunities arising from the Voltain Basin drilling.

The Founder and Board Chairman of Zeal Environmental Technologies, Kwaku Ennin, expressed appreciation for the Commission’s engagement and called on the government to make Ghana’s oil and gas industry more attractive to investors.

GNPC to drill Voltain Basin by early 2026!

Acting CEO of the Petroleum Commission, Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, says the move will boost Ghana’s petroleum resources and attract global oil investors. She urged local service providers like Zeal Environmental Technologies to get… pic.twitter.com/9IK5FHVnRM

— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) August 29, 2025