Pharos Energy

Pharos Energy Plc, previously SOCO International, is an oil and gas exploration and production company, headquartered in London. The company changed its name to Pharos Energy Plc in October 2019 after coming under fire for illegal activity in Virunga.

The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and currently has interests in Egypt, Israel and Vietnam. The company previously held interests in the Republic of Congo and Angola. Pharos Energy no longer holds interests in Africa, and their strategy now focuses on interests in the Middle East and Asia.

In April 1997, the company was founded by Ed Story and was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in May that year. Ed Story has been CEO of Pharos Energy PLC since it was established.

During 2010, the company aimed to derisk 600 million barrels of potential net recoverable reserves with a drilling programme focused in Vietnam and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In 2014 the company explored for oil in Virunga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the DRC, and attempted to bribe and intimidate people who opposed their efforts. Following international pressure they agreed to suspend further exploration.

On 16 October 2019 the company announced that it had changed its name to Pharos Energy plc.

On 17 October 2019, Pharos Energy plc announced the appointment of John Martin, to succeed Rui de Sousa as Non-Executive Chair following his retirement.

Pharos has been active in Vietnam since 1996 and currently has two oil and gas producing blocks in the country: Block 9-2 of the (Ca Ngu Vang field) and Block 16-1 of the (Te Giac Trang field).