Ogooue-Maritime

Ogooue-Maritime province contains Port-Gentil, Gabon's petroleum capital and second-largest city, where offshore oil extraction generates nearly 40% of national GDP. The province functions as the keystone of Gabon's oil-dependent economy, with TotalEnergies, Perenco, and other major operators maintaining headquarters in the delta island city. The SOGARA refinery, operational since 1967 with 21,000 barrels per day capacity, processes crude for domestic consumption and export.

The province demonstrates classic resource extraction dynamics: wealth generated from offshore fields flows to national coffers and international shareholders, while environmental costs concentrate locally. Pipeline and storage failures have released hydrocarbons into sensitive coastal ecosystems including mangroves and estuaries that support local fisheries. Oil was first discovered in 1931, and for decades the industry appeared finite—but new discoveries by BW Energy and Vaalco have extended production timelines.

Ogooue-Maritime represents both Gabon's present prosperity and future challenge. OPEC estimates the country holds two billion barrels of offshore and onshore reserves, contributing to a high GDP per capita of approximately $6,500—among Africa's highest. But declining output from mature fields creates pressure to diversify. The Gamba terminal exports oil from the Rabi Kounga fields while the Oguendjo terminal southwest of Port-Gentil handles additional production, creating a network of extraction infrastructure that defines the province's economic geography.