Algeria's Energy Future was launched at a half-day round-table seminar at Chatham House, London, on Wednesday 6 April.
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Briefings and Reports 2
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Briefings and Reports 3
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On the page below you will find a selection of articles from the African Energy archive. All links preceded by a padlock symbol require a subscription.
The developers of the 80-90MW Rabai independent power project near Mombasa expect financial close next March. Bob Chestnutt of Aldwych International told African Energy that construction would then start immediately and would take an estimated 18 months. The main engineering, procurement and construction contractor is Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor. Issue 128, 14 December 2007. more
Kenyan government looks to $3.6bn-plus investment, KenGen wants to raise $1bn
Kenya is looking to a range of financing options to help meet the challenge of increasing electricity access and keeping up with 8%/yr demand growth. Issue 127, 30 November 2007. more
KenGen seeks bids to build, equip Sangoro HPP
Kenya Electricity Generating Company Ltd seeks bids by 3 December for civil construction and power plant equipment contracts for the 21.2MW Sangoro hydropower project. Issue 127, 30 November 2007. more
Pointer: Block 1 signing reported for Canadian minnow Issue 127, 30 November 2007. more
Nock reviews PSC terms, works on new law
National Oil Corporation of Kenya (Nock) is reviewing the country’s exploration and production policy and Petroleum Act, and is drawing up a new model production-sharing contract (PSC), according to new managing director Mwendia Nyaga. Issue 126, 16 November 2007.more
Pointer: Nyuni drilling Issue 125, 2 November 2007.more
Lundin takes Anza Basin block
Sweden’s Lundin Petroleum has signed a production-sharing contract for Block 10A in the onshore Anza Basin. Block 10A covers an area of 14,748km2 in the Anza Basin, an extension of Sudan’s prolific Muglad Basin, where Lundin has a 24.5% stake in Block 5B. Issue 124, 19 October 2007. more
Despite the power supply problems besetting much of East Africa, Kenya Electricity Generating Company has announced a 27% increase in pre-tax profit for the year to 30 June, helped by an increase in the bulk tariff rate. Pre-tax profit rose to Ksh4.719bn ($70.8m), from Ksh3.72bn one year earlier. Issue 123, 5 October 2007. more
Pointer: MHI to build third geothermal unit at Olkaria II Issues 120 and 121, 7 September 2007. more
Pointer: Renaissance Capital wins NSE seat Issues 120 and 121, 7 September 2007. more
West pipeline expansion order
Kenya Pipeline Company has given China’s Shengli Engineering and Consulting a contract for consultancy services for the design and construction of the Nairobi-Eldoret pipeline expansion. Issue 118, 13 July 2007. more
Geothermal drilling under way for Olkaria IV
China’s Great Wall Drilling Company has begun drilling six new geothermal wells for the 70MWe Olkaria IV power plant. Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the plant on 18 June. Issue 117, 29 June 2007. more
Mombasa refinery upgrade
The government is seeking new partners for the planned upgrading of the Mombasa refinery, after BP, Shell and Chevron declined to participate (AE 114/15). The East African newspaper reported that the cabinet had directed the Treasury to contribute Ksh3.64bn ($48.5m) for the government to retain a 50% stake in Kenya Petroleum Refineries Ltd (KPRL). Issue 116, 15 June 2007. more
KenGen share offer suspended
The government has suspended plans to float a further 19% stake in Kenya Electricity Generating Company, saying the current share price undervalued the listed genco. Finance Minister Amos Kimunya announced the move on 23 April, when KenGen shares were trading at Ksh23.25 ($0.34). The initial public offering price was Ksh11.90, but the shares closed at Ksh49 on the first day of trading, and were around Ksh40 last September. Issue 113, 4 May 2007. more
Kengen H2 profit rises 40%
Kenya Electricity Generating Company announced a 40% rise in pre-tax profit for the six months to December 2006, on strong demand for power and an increase in non-fuel tariffs. Pre-tax profit rose to Ksh2.8bn ($40.6m) from Ksh2bn in H2 2005. Issue 111, 23 March 2007. more
Block L5 extension
The government has extended the current exploration period (the first additional exploration period) for Woodside’s Lamu Basin Block L5 by 16 months to 11 July 2008, bringing it in line with the exploration period for Block L7. Issue 111, 23 March 2007. more
Hopes of oil draw crowds to East Africa
Undaunted by the failure of Woodside’s ultra-deep well offshore Kenya, international oil companies are picking up the pace of exploration off the East African coast, while onshore, Uganda is preparing for crude production and associated power projects, writes Thalia Griffiths in Arusha. Issue 110, 8 March 2007. more
East Africa power update – Kenya-Réunion
The main East African economies are accelerating their project schedules, as significant growth means that demand is set to exceed supply. Following a prolonged drought, which reduced water levels in reservoirs supplying hydroelectric plants in 2006, Kenya is expanding its thermal capacity, with geothermal seen to be the most cost-effective source in foreseeable future. Updates of the other East African industries will be published in AE 109/110. Issue 108, 7 February 2007. more
Woodside cancels Sokwe drilling after Pomboo duster
Following the failure of the Pomboo well, Woodside Energy and its partners on Blocks L5 and L7 have decided not to drill the Sokwe South exploration well in this drilling campaign. Issue 108, 7 February 2007. more
Pointer: Japanese loan for Sondu Miriu phase three Issue 107, 26 January 2007. more
Tamoil BOO pipeline approved
Libyan state-owned Tamoil East Africa has received ministerial approval from Kenya and Uganda for its bid to develop a build-own-operate oil products pipeline between the Kenyan border town of Eldoret and Kampala (AE 102/22). Issue 107, 26 January 2007. more
Chinese to drill wells for new geothermal plant
Kenya Electricity Generating Company has signed a contract with China’s Great Wall Drilling Company to drill geothermal wells for a new 70MWe power plant. Issue 106, January 2007. more
Under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism, state power producer Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) signed an agreement with the World Bank on 14 November for the Community Development Carbon Fund (CDCF) to buy emission reductions estimated at 900,000t of CO2 equivalent through 2014 from the Olkaria II geothermal expansion project. Issue 105, December 2006. more
Pointer: Government plans to sell 19% stake in KenGen Issue 105, December 2006. more
East Africa upstream oil update Issue 104, November 2006. more
Pointer: Bid deadline extended for Olkaria II Issue 103, October 2006. more
Pointer: Woodside to drill in November Issue 103, October 2006. more
Emergency power at Embakasi, Olkaria bids due
Aggreko has completed installation of a 100MW temporary power plant at the Embakasi power station in Nairobi. Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) awarded the contract in April following an open public tender. Issue 102, September 2006. more
Gippsland farms into L6
Gippsland Offshore Petroleum has agreed to farm in to the L6 block offshore in the Lamu Basin held by Pancontinental Oil and Gas. Gippsland will earn 60% in the block by conducting 2D seismic, airborne gravity and possible geochemical acquisition programmes costing $1.9m by 23 February 2007. Issue 102, September 2006. more
Repsol farms into L5 and L7
Repsol Exploracion SA has joined the joint venture that will drill two wells offshore Kenya in Q4 2006, one each in blocks L5 and L7. The partners have already contracted a rig. Issue 102, September 2006. more
Olkaria II Unit 3 extension
Kenya Electricity Generating Company is inviting bids for the Olkaria II Unit 3 extension geothermal power contract. Issue 101, August 2006. more
Pointer: Tamoil wins pipeline contract Issue 101, August 2006. more
KenGen in talks to sell surplus
Kenya Electricity Generating Company is in talks to sell 50MW of power to Uganda to help alleviate its shortfall. KenGen has found itself with excess capacity following good rains that restored the country’s hydropower output coupled with emergency power supplied by Aggreko (AE 98/8). Issue 100, July 2006. more
KenGen shares soar on debut
Shares in Kenya Electricity Generating Company rose to almost four times their launch price on their first day of trading on 17 May. The government raised more than KSh7.8bn ($108m) by floating a 30% stake in KenGen on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. The offer was more than three times over-subscribed, with more than 272,000 people applying for shares; over KSh18bn is being reimbursed to investors whose applications failed. Issue 99, June 2006. more
Pointer: Iranian refinery offer Issue 99, June 2006. more
KenGen adds to thermal capacity as East African drought bites
Emerging from its IPO, the Kenyan generator is having to invest heavily in short-term measures.With drought hitting hydro generation, Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) is expanding thermal capacity. The company, which just floated 30% of its shares in an initial public offering, has awarded a contract for 100MW of temporary power and plans a new plant in Mombasa to be known as Kipevu III. Issue 98, May 2006. more
Consultant sought for gas policy
National Oil Company of Kenya (Nock) is seeking a consultant to help carry out a review of Kenya’s model production sharing contract and develop a gas policy. Issue 98, May 2006. more
Aminex branches out
Covent Garden-based adventurers Aminex, whose partners include the government of North Korea, have formed a more conventional alliance on their Ruvuma permit in southern Tanzania, attracting a farm-in from Hardman Resources. Issue 97, April 2006. more
KPLC’s management contract award expected in Q2
Despite the suspension of some loans and jitters across the economy over the ongoing corruption scandal, the award of a contract to manage a financial and technical turnaround at Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) is expected by mid-2006, the World Bank told African Energy. Issue 96, March 2006. more
Pointer: KenGen Book-building formula dropped for IPO
Issue 96, March 2006. more
Three prequalify for KPLC management contract
Three companies have prequalified for a management contract to complete a financial and technical turnaround at Kenya Power & Lighting Company. The companies are: Canada’s Manitoba Hydro International; Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board International; and Unión Fenosa of Spain, which is already present in Kenya through its Iberafrica subsidiary, which operates a 56MW power plant in Nairobi. The World Bank set the appointment of external managers as a condition for funding KPLC’s share of an $80m Energy Sector Recovery Project (ESRP) credit, much to the chagrin of the company’s management (AE 84/1). The appointment of external managers will enable KPLC to access promised funding from the World Bank and other donors for the ESRP (AE 84/17). Issue 95, February 2006. more
Pointer: Tiomin project to build power plant Issue 95, February 2006. more
Foster Wheeler to work on Mombasa refinery upgrade
Kenya Petroleum Refineries Ltd (KPRL) has given Foster Wheeler Energy a contract by to prepare the basis of design (BOD) for the proposed upgrade of the Mombasa Refinery. Foster Wheeler has been working with KPRL since 2004 under a technical services agreement and has completed a comprehensive refinery upgrade configuration analysis, which included an in-depth review of the technical and economic viability of the project. KPRL has now appointed a financial adviser for the upgrade financing. Issue 93, January 2006. more
Pointer: Pancontinental finds partner Issue 93, January 2006. more
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