In the 6 countries covered by this report, the extent of valid petroleum rights, seismic work, and drilling was nearly the same as in 1978. The success rate of wildcat drilling decreased slightly, to 28% (33% in 1978), with 26 oil or gas discoveries.

In southwestern Tunisia, the Amoco Sabrina Nord 1 tested 930 bbl of 39° API oil from Cambrian-Ordovician sandstones--the first oil to come from lower Paleozoic rocks in Tunisia. First commercial oil from Cambrian-Ordovician rocks in western Libya was discovered by Agip A1-NC40 which flowed 1,400 b/d.

Highlight of the year in North Africa was in the Interior basin of Sudan where the Chevron Abu Gabra 1 tested 900 BOPD of 40° API oil from Cretaceous rocks; 2 other wells, spudded in late 1979 in the same area, have tested 3,200 and 7,300 b/d, respectively, in early 1980. Discovery well of the Interior basin was Chevron Unity 1 which tested small amounts of oil in 1978.

Oil production in North Africa in 1979 averaged 3,939,500 b/d compared with 3,802,800 b/d in 1978, an increase of 3.6%.