Algeria's Energy Future was launched at a half-day round-table seminar at Chatham House, London, on Wednesday 6 April.
The report was presented at the seminar by its lead authors, Jon Marks and John Hamilton, and critically assessed by Algerian and international experts. Read more
The African Energy Atlas has established itself as an indispensable resource for energy industry professionals.
The 2011 edition features more than 45 maps and charts drawn with expert care by journalist cartographer David Burles. Read more
Briefings and Reports 2
AfricaHardball is an executive dialogue that brings together policy-makers, industry leaders and analysts to discuss the key political issues affecting African markets in frank and open terms.
The next AfricaHardball roundtable will be held on 1 December in London, focusing on North Africa Read more
Briefings and Reports 3
A detailed and frank analysis of Libya’s energy sector
Published in July 2010, Libya's Energy Future provides authoritative, independently sourced analysis of Libya’s energy sector policy and history, examines the country’s governance and financial record and assesses the potential for international partners to do business with its institutions and interest groups.
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 Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) is investing KSh1.4bn ($16m) in a reactive power project to improve voltage profiles in Nairobi and environs.
Bermuda-registered East Africa player Dominion Petroleum has taken a 60% operating stake in offshore Block L9 in the face of competition from companies including BG Group.
Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) has given Siemens Energy a contract to extend the high-voltage Rabai and Embakasi substations, which are part of the Mombasa-Nairobi transmission line project.
East Africa power update: Kenya diversifies while Tanzania delays
Kenya’s efforts to expand and diversify its power generation have met with success, while Tanzania’s power shortages and a lack of reliable infrastructure are holding the economy back. African Energy’s new power update shows two neighbours with contrasting fortunes
Having taken a big position offshore Tanzania last year, BG Group is now in negotiations for two blocks in Kenya’s Lamu Basin. Issue 204, 4 March 2011.more
KPLC tenders for transformer manufacture study
Kenya Power & Lighting Company is seeking expressions of interests from consultants for a feasibility study on the manufacture and assembly of distribution transformers in Kenya. Issue 203, 18 February 2011.more
East Africa transformed by headline oil developments and large-scale gas potential
Despite gloomy predictions of recession, exploration has been buoyed by the high oil price and by Asian demand for gas. East Africa has arrived as a significant hydrocarbons industry play, writes Thalia Griffiths in Kampala
In Kenya, Tullow is hoping to replicate its success in Uganda, while Anadarko Petroleum Corporation is hoping to repeat its success offshore Mozambique. Tullow now operates five licences onshore Kenya and plans to drill this year on blocks 10A and 10BB. Anadarko, which has five offshore blocks, plans to acquire 3D seismic this year and drill in 2012. Issue 203, 18 February 2011.more
Africa Oil takes over Block 9 as Asians withdraw
China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Taiwan’s CPC have pulled out of onshore Block 9, leaving Africa Oil Corporation (AOC) to take over the operatorship as it enters the first additional exploration phase.
A consortium of Spain’s Iberdrola Ingenieria y Construcción and wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa has won an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to expand the Ngong II wind farm (AE 194/9).
Africa Oil Corporation has snapped up Centric Energy Corporation, adding assets in Kenya and Mali to its growing portfolio, in a cash and shares deal valuing the company at C$60m. Issue 200, 17 December 2010.more
Government reintroduces fuel price controls
The government has reintroduced controls on retail fuel prices, 16 years after liberalising the market. Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi said the decision was reached after the government lost confidence in the ability of oil marketers to regulate pump prices independently and fairly. Issue 200, 17 December 2010.more
KPLC plans rights issue
Kenya Power and Lighting Company is holding a rights issue to raise up to KSh10bn ($119m) to finance upgrade projects. Shareholders will be able to take up their rights at a price of Ksh19.50/share, and members of the public through the Nairobi Stock Exchange at the market price.
The state Geothermal Development Company has invited expressions of interest from investors to develop four 100MW power plants at the Menengai Caldera, near Nakuru. Issue 199, 3 December 2010.more
Nock ventures into exploration
National Oil Corporation of Kenya (Nock) is making its first foray into exploration after receiving a production-sharing contract (PSC) for Block 14T in south western Kenya.
Energy ministers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Kenya have established a company to develop a pipeline Issue 198, 19 November 2010.more
Kenya bags $1.9bn for green energy projects
An electricity expansion project will help diversify and expand the country’s power sources, writes Kimemia Mugo Issue 197, 5 November 2010.more
Moroccans push to electrify Kenyan villages
Moroccan state utility Office National de l’Electricité (ONE) is continuing its push into sub-Saharan Africa as a services provider with an effort to win business in the Kenyan rural electrification programme. Issue 197, 5 November 2010.more
Drought hits profits at KenGen
Kenya Electricity Generating Company’s 2009/10 full-year pre-tax profits fell by 47% as drought hit hydropower production. The company said generation had suffered from the dry conditions, chiefly in the first half of its financial year that ended on 30 June. Issue 196, 22 October 2010.more
Cove completes farm-in
Cove Energy has announced completion of the acquisition of a 15% stake in five contiguous deep-water blocks from Dynamic Energy Exploration & Production Corporation (Depco). Issue 196, 22 October 2010.more
IFC targets Kenya’s sustainable energy potential
A project to help release $25m to small and medium-sized enterprises could build a market for sustainable and renewable energy projects, writes Kevin Godier Issue 196, 22 October 2010.more
Wind schemes line up
Wind power plans are making encouraging progress, with Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) commissioning its 5.1MW Ngong II wind farm ahead of schedule and the Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) developers promising that their 300MW project will start up on time. Issue 194, 24 September 2010.more
Downstream hydrocarbons update: East Africa – Uganda calls for refining
co-operation
Regional unity is a central feature of the East’s policy agenda, but the Kenyans have reacted with marked caution to the Ugandan president’s attempts to rally neighbours into a joint refinery project. African Energy’s latest Downstream update lists projects across the region Issue 194, 24 September 2010.more
Funds line up for Olkaria
More finance has been lined up by Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) for its project to build two 140MW geothermal power plants in Olkaria, near Naivasha. Issue 192, 6 August 2010.more
AFD support for renewables
Agence Française de Développement has approved finance worth KSh2bn ($24m) to support efforts by the local private sector to generate energy from renewable sources including biomass, geothermal and wind. Issue 192, 6 August 2010.more
Cove Energy farms in
AIM-listed Cove Energy has made a further foray into East Africa with an agreement to farm into Anadarko’s five contiguous deep-water offshore blocks. Issue 192, 6 August 2010.more
Enoc enters downstream
Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc), a refiner owned by the Dubai government, has signed a co-operation agreement with Galana Oil Kenya giving it access to the Kenyan market. Issue 190, 9 July 2010.more
AfDB approves $32.5m loan
The African Development Bank has approved a supplementary loan of $32.5m to Kenya under the African Development Fund (AfDF) concessional window. The additional loan will finance the Kenya-Uganda transmission line and help reinforce substations in Kenya. Issue 189, 25 June 2010.more
KenGen tender for 280MW of geothermal power
Kenya Electricity Generating Company has issued an international tender to build a pair of geothermal power plants with a total capacity of 280MW. Issue 189, 25 June 2010.more
Flow eyes Block L6
Australia’s Flow Energy is planning exploration work in Block L6 on the Kenyan coast and has submitted an environmental impact assessment to the National Environment Management Authority. Issue 189, 25 June 2010.more
Lake Turkana Wind Power close possible by year-end
Financial close for the Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) project in northern Kenya – expected to be Africa’s biggest wind farm – is possible by year-end, with a dozen multilateral, development finance institution and commercial financiers expressing interest in backing the 300MW scheme. Issue 188, 11 June 2010.more
World Bank funds increased access and geothermal plans
The World Bank has approved $330m in funding for the Kenya Electricity Expansion Project, which aims to increase electricity access in urban, peri-urban and rural areas, as well as enabling Kenya to expand geothermal power generation as part of its green energy strategy. Issue 188, 11 June 2010.more
Gitson talks up Kenya’s other 300MW wind project
Described as Kenya’s second wind power generator, Gitson Energy Ltd is promoting a 300MW wind farm at Bubisa, in the Marsabit area, where the initial phase is scheduled to start up in 2012; its plans also include a 50MW solar project in the same area. Issue 188, 11 June 2010.more
Vanoil contracts BGP for seismic
Vanoil Energy, the former Vangold Resources, has signed a 2D seismic contract with China’s Bureau of Geophysical Prospecting for 324 line km of 2D seismic over blocks 3A and 3B. Issue 188, 11 June 2010.more
New partners and practices as pace picks up in East Africa exploration
As the rate of new discoveries in West Africa slows, the pace is picking up in East Africa, where hopes are high that Uganda’s remarkable success can be replicated elsewhere. Smaller players are seeing a bigger upside in entering frontier regions rather than in adding incremental production in West Africa’s established oil provinces. Issue 187, 28 May 2010.more
KenGen to reduce emergency power
Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) has given Aggreko notice of its intention to terminate 100MW of emergency power from August. Issue 186, 14 May 2010.more
CNOOC finds gas with onshore well
China’s CNOOC has found gas in the Bogal-1-1 well on Block 9, block partner Africa Oil Corporation reported. The well was drilled to a total depth of 5,085 metres and gas shows and analysis of wireline logs indicate multiple gas pay zones totalling some 91 metres in Lower Cretaceous sandstones (AE 171/12). Testing equipment is being brought in from China and results are expected within two months. Issue 186, 14 May 2010.more
More wind power planned
Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) is seeking expressions of interest (EoIs) from consultancy firms to carry out a feasibility study for a new wind power development at nine sites around the country. Issue 185, 30 April 2010.more
EIB considers Olkaria funding
The European Investment Bank is considering E120m ($160m) of funding for the Olkaria I and IV geothermal extension project. Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) plans to expand the existing Olkaria I and new Olkaria IV geothermal power stations to increase generation capacity by a further 280MW – consisting of 2x70MW at each station. Issue 185, 30 April 2010.more
Global, Dana and Woodside settle dispute
Global Petroleum and Dana Petroleum have agreed to abandon legal proceedings against Woodside Energy over Woodside’s decision not to drill a second well on its offshore acreage (AE 140/12). Issue 185, 30 April 2010.more
Magadi seismic tender
National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) is seeking expressions of interest from companies to carry out the acquisition of about 120km of 2D onshore seismic data in Block 14T in the Magadi Basin. Issue 185, 30 April 2010.more
Mumias Sugar Company looks to ethanol after success with bagasse
Kenya’s leading sugar producer is looking to join in the country’s success in diversifying its energy sources by expanding into ethanol production as well as power generation, writes Kimemia Mugo Issue 183, 26 March 2010.more
Local currencies: Kenyan and other potential
Absa Capital has an advisory mandate for a small local currency financing tranche in Kenya – an emerging market that is “interesting to watch” from the perspective of raising potential shilling financing for power purchase agreements and other project elements, according to Anand Naidoo, director of the South Africa-based institution’s investment banking division. Issue 183, 26 March 2010.more
German loan for renewables
The German government has signed a E70m ($95m) soft loan agreement for renewable energy projects. A German embassy statement said the financial co-operation agreement comprised funds committed in 2009 for soft loans for two renewable energy projects. Issue 182, 12 March 2010.more
Ormat in deal for Olkaria expansion
Ormat Technologies has announced that its project subsidiary has signed a letter of intent with Kenya Power & Lighting Company for further expansion of its Olkaria III power plant to up to 100MW (AE 173/10). Issue 181, 26 February 2010.more
Africa Oil expands portfolio
Lundin affiliate Africa Oil Corporation has further expanded its Kenyan holdings by signing an agreement with Platform Resources, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alberta Oilsands, to take over Platform’s 100% interest in blocks 12A and 13T. Issue 181, 26 February 2010.more
Lake Turkana Wind Power wins Aldwych backing
Project developer Aldwych International has taken a 51% stake in the Lake Turkana Wind Power project to produce 300MW of power from a site in northern Kenya Issue 180, 5 February 2010.more
Centric Energy takes Block 10BA
Canada’s Centric Energy has signed a production-sharing contract (PSC) for Block 10BA around the northern half of Lake Turkana in Rift Valley Province. The area has been the target of growing interest following Tullow Oil and Heritage’s success in Uganda, and with the prospect of a pipeline being built from Lake Albert to Mombasa. Issue 180, 5 February 2010.more
Andritz gets $52m contract
Kenya Electricity Generating Company has awarded a KS3.93bn ($52m) contract to Austria’s Andritz to install a 24MW turbine and renovate two turbines at a hydropower facility. Issue 179, 22 January 2010.more
Ngong wind power tender
Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) is seeking bids from Spanish companies for the 10MW Ngong II wind power project. The project is being financed through a concessional loan of up to E20m ($28m) from the Spanish government. Issue 178, 12 January 2010.more
Block L8 3D seismic completed
Origin Energy has completed acquisition of an 800 km2 3D survey over the Mbawa prospect in offshore licence area L8. Issue 178, 12 January 2010.more
Vitol to buy Mombasa storage terminal
Vitol Kenya has been awarded the right to buy a half-built products storage terminal in Kipevu, outside Mombasa, following a competitive bid process. The potentially strategic purchase comes as Uganda gears up for the start of oil production from Lake Albert. Issue 178, 12 January 2010.more
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