LPRA Sets Prequalification Criteria as Government Positions Liberia for New Offshore Exploration Deals
HOUSTON, Texas — Liberia has opened prequalification for its 2026 Direct Negotiation Petroleum Licensing Round, setting the stage for a new push to attract international oil and gas companies into the country’s offshore petroleum sector.
The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) announced the opening during Liberia Investor Day in Houston, Texas, with Director General Marilyn Logan saying the licensing round is expected to formally launch in the fourth quarter of 2026.
According to a release, the prequalification process is being opened ahead of the licensing round to give prospective investors time to establish their eligibility and complete internal reviews before negotiations begin.
Under the LPRA framework, applicants will be assessed on their technical capacity, financial strength and demonstrated experience in offshore petroleum exploration. Companies that successfully obtain prequalification will retain their status for five years.
Direct Negotiation Model
Unlike a conventional competitive bidding process, the 2026 round will be conducted through direct negotiation, allowing the government to negotiate terms around the specific exploration work program and commitments proposed by each qualified company.
“Frontier exploration requires agreements that can work over time,” Logan said, describing a framework intended to accommodate companies at different stages of technical and financial readiness.
The LPRA said the process will be guided by published criteria and equal treatment of applicants, with Liberia seeking technically competent and financially capable partners to advance exploration and ultimately convert the country’s petroleum potential into commercial production.
Global Investors Briefed on Liberia’s Basin
Liberia’s petroleum data partners — TGS-NOPEC, Core Laboratories and KC Geoscience Consulting — also presented technical information at the Houston event, highlighting the geological potential of Liberia’s offshore basin to prospective investors.
Representatives of major international energy and industry companies, including ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, GeoMark, Woodside Energy, Westlawn, EGES Energy, Westwood Global Energy Group and Welligence Energy Analytics, attended the event.
Presentations focused on the basin’s Upper and Lower Cretaceous plays, which were identified as key components of Liberia’s petroleum prospectivity. The presentations also highlighted opportunities extending beyond the deepest offshore areas.
“Access to data is key to unlocking prospectivity,” said Johnny Chigbo, TGS Business Development Manager, pointing to wide-tow acquisition and long-offset seismic data as important tools for companies evaluating exploration opportunities in Liberia.
Eight Previous PSCs
Liberia’s previous petroleum licensing round resulted in the execution of eight Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs).
The blocks remain active, with TotalEnergies advancing exploration programs across LB-06, LB-11, LB-17 and LB-29, while Oranto Petroleum holds interests in LB-15, LB-16, LB-22 and LB-24.
The LPRA says the 2026 licensing round will maintain the same principles of transparent criteria and equal treatment for applicants.
The authority is positioning the new round as an opportunity for experienced petroleum companies to participate in Liberia’s frontier exploration sector while working within a rules-based regulatory framework.
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