As of July 2020, Exxon Mobil Corp via three separate subsidiaries is understood to have finalized Risk Service Contracts for Block 30, Block 44 and Block 45 located within the southern Namibe Basin. Exxon holds a 60% interest and Sonangol holds the remainder carried through the exploration period.   As of September 2019, it was understood that Exxon had already taken operatorship of the blocks. The company started an 18,000 sq km 3D acquisition atop the aforementioned blocks in late January 2020.   As reported on 14 December 2018, Exxon and Sonangol signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the Namibe Basin. No additional information was provided however, on 15 November 2018, Carlos Saturnino (head of Sonangol) announced that Exxon was in negotiations for deep-water blocks. The blocks (30, 41, 42, 43, 44 and 50) being negotiated for would grant Exxon access to the Angola Basin, Benguela Sub-basin (Kwanza Basin) and Namibe Basin.
(Namibe b.) Blocks 30, 44 & 45 operated by EXXONMOBIL (60%), partner SONANGOL (40%) were awarded.