That question sits at the center of the Digital Oilfields & Intelligent Energy Operations technical presentation at MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026, taking place December 1–3 at the CICAD conference center in Dakar. The session will explore how digital twins, predictive maintenance, integrated production systems and emissions monitoring are reshaping offshore operations – and increasingly influencing how new projects are engineered before final investment decisions are made.

Digital Tools at Sangomar

At Senegal’s flagship Sangomar oil development, digitalization has already shifted from concept to core operational practice. In April 2026, Woodside and subsea contractor DeepOcean deployed ROVs equipped with digital twin capabilities to complete a combined inspection and 3D scanning campaign across 69 subsea structures. The approach reduced offshore time compared to conventional dual-ROV methods while significantly increasing the volume and quality of asset data collected.

Separately, U.K.-based engineering contractor Wood has developed a production management and virtual metering system for the Sangomar FPSO control room, enabling real-time monitoring and decision support designed to improve efficiency and reduce flaring. According to Sangomar Subsea Lead Ben Witton, the digital twin deployment “delivered meaningful gains by reducing offshore time while providing richer data” across the field.

Phase 2 Could Embed Digital From the Start

The next test is whether these tools move upstream in the engineering process. Woodside and Petrosen are currently discussing a second phase of Sangomar development, which could unlock around 250 million barrels of additional recoverable resources through 33 subsea wells – 16 producers and 17 injectors – tied back to the existing FPSO. Crucially, Phase 1 was designed with expansion in mind, meaning real production data from the first years is now feeding directly into FEED studies for Phase 2.

That creates a shift in approach: instead of retrofitting digital systems into an operating field, Phase 2 could embed digital twins, monitoring systems and optimization tools from the design stage itself.

GTA Raises the Emissions Question

A similar inflection point is emerging at Greater Tortue Ahmeyim. Operator bp and partners have advanced early concepts for a potential Phase 2 development built around a gravity-based structure, with options to electrify parts of the liquefaction process rather than relying solely on gas turbines – an approach explicitly aimed at improving emissions performance. The concept is now progressing toward pr-FEED.

But the broader pressure is already clear. bp is part of the UN Environment Program’s OGMP 2.0 methane reporting framework, which now underpins the EU’s Methane Regulation. From January 2027, EU importers of oil and gas will be required to demonstrate facility-level emissions measurement, reporting and verification across their supply chains. That means every molecule of MSGBC gas flowing into Europe – including LNG from GTA – will increasingly sit within a strict emissions accounting framework.

For operators planning the basin’s next wave of developments, the implication is increasingly clear: emissions systems, predictive maintenance and digital twins are no longer optional add-ons, but core design constraints shaping project viability from the outset. This shift is driven by both economics and regulation, as systems embedded at the FEED stage are more cost-efficient, better integrated and more operationally effective than retrofits introduced after first oil or gas. At the same time, tightening methane rules and buyers aligned with OGMP 2.0 standards are pushing digital and emissions infrastructure further upstream in the engineering process.

The Digital Oilfields & Intelligent Energy Operations session at MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 will examine this convergence – how digital twins, production optimization, asset reliability systems, and emissions tracking are increasingly defining what must be built in from day one for the basin’s next investments.

Explore opportunities, foster partnerships and stay at the forefront of the MSGBC region's oil, gas and power sectors. Visit www.msgbcoilgaspower.com to secure your participation at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 conference, December 1-3 in Dakar. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.