Libya’s Energy Future: Industry and Political risk outlook was launched at a Chatham House seminar in London on 20 July.
Based on African Energy’s unparalleled track record in following Libya’s energy story and careful, originally sourced reporting from Libya and global markets, this updated and enlarged special report analyses the major issues and the financial and political trends influencing development of Libya's energy industries. Read more
A detailed guide to electrification in Africa
A 400-page study published in Paris by Karthala, L’Electricité au Coeur des Défis Africains (available in French only) includes an overview of the continental electricity supply industry and examples of generation, transmission and distribution projects. A chapter on decentralised rural electrification is followed by another on the establishment of decentralised services companies.
The book draws on articles and materials from a number of experts and sources, including African Energy.
Order a copy now, priced €36 / £30 plus postage and packing. Email: nick@africa-energy.com
AfricaHardball is an executive dialogue that brings together policy-makers, industry leaders and analysts to discuss the key political issues affecting the African energy industry in frank and open terms.
The last AfricaHardball roundtable was held on 29 June, prior to the start of EnergyNet Ltd’s annual Africa Energy Forum (AEF), in Basel. Read more
A detailed and frank analysis of Libya’s energy sector
Launched at a Chatham House round table seminar on Tuesday 20 July, Libya’s Energy Future 2010/11 builds on a special issue of African Energy that was published last year, one month before the 40th anniversary of Colonel Muammar Qadhafi’s ‘Great El Fatah Revolution’. Extensively rewritten and expanded by John Hamilton, supported by correspondents in Libya and third countries, and by Cross-border Information’s team of writers and researchers, it is intended to give an informed overview and analysis of the electricity, and upstream and downstream gas and oil industries in the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (State of the Masses).
Libya’s Energy Future offers not only detailed insight into specific projects and players, but also a clear understanding and analysis of the dominant issues, making it essential reading for anyone serious about doing business in Libya
Read moreabout Libya's Energy Future and the Chatham House launch seminar
In the eye of the storm triggered by the Deepwater Horizon disaster, BP is looking to divest more assets, and remains under pressure from Congress and a range of lobby groups over its plans to start drilling in the Libyan offshore more
DR CONGO
More controversy over DR Congo’s Lake Albert exploration partners
The mysterious companies allocated blocks on the Congolese side of Lake Albert may have links to South African business magnate Tokyo Sexwale as well as to President Jacob Zuma, adding to questions surrounding the deal more
UGANDA
Tullow completes purchase, drills appraisal
Tullow Oil has completed the $1.35bn purchase of a 50% interest in blocks 1 and 3A from Heritage Oil & Gas, though the issue of Heritage’s tax bill has not been settled. more
KENYA
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. more
NAMIBIA
Aranos Gas starts drilling on CBM play
Aranos Gas, a Namibian/South African joint venture between SADC Minerals and ASS Investments, has reportedly started drilling for coal-bed methane (CBM) in the Aranos area of Block 2419, in Namibia’s first non-conventional gas project. more
Chariot seeks farm-in partner for blocks with complex history
London AIM-listed Chariot Oil and Gas has opened a data room to find a farm-in partner for its Namibian exploration and production play, exciting further market interest more
Namibia exploration is back in contention
AIM darling Chariot Oil & Gas’ strong stock market performance and commitment to serious exploration in Namibia has refocused attention on a region that has lacked the big finds of West or East Africa. more
Namibia draws firms into E&P, but questions remain over licensing and middlemen
After Namibia decided to abandon licensing rounds for direct negotiation, blocks were awarded to local players who sold them on to foreign companies. Local entrepreneurs such as Knowledge Katti have built up big businesses, but with the government threatening to investigate potential abuses of the system, the way licences are obtained is under new scrutiny. John Grobler in Windhoek and Eleanor Gillespie investigate Namibia’s licensing procedures and assess prospects for E&P in the next year. more
Knowledge Katti emerges as the king of Namibian energy empowerment
New Era newspaper described black economic empowerment (BEE) entrepreneur Knowledge Katti as “one of the fastest growing [exclusive prospecting licence] EPL millionaires in the country”. more
Nigerians talk up sector reform with PIB expected ‘within weeks’
The controversial Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), designed by the previous government to implement the largest energy sector shake-up in recent Nigerian history, will be passed into law by the end of August, according to petroleum minister Diezani Allison-Madueke. more
EGYPT
Eni signs strategic deal for joint operations with regional reach
Petroleum minister Sameh Fahmy and Eni chief executive Paolo Scaroni have signed a strategic framework agreement for the development of joint initiatives in Egypt, Iraq and Gabon and to help Eni gain access to the Arab Gas Pipeline system. more
Another find for Dana Petroleum
Aberdeen-based Dana Petroleum has discovered another oil field with the Fin-1X exploration well in the North Zeit Bay production-sharing contract area onshore in the Gulf of Suez. more
ALGERIA / TUNISIA
Petroceltic progress on Isarene, disappointment at Ksar Hadada
While its Tunisia well proved non-commercial, Petroceltic International has signed a contract for appraisal drilling on Algeria’s Isarene permit with Dubai-based drilling contractor Dalma Energy. more
ALGERIA
As BP ponders Algerian assets, IOCs look for flexibility from the energy sector’s new top team
While Algiers tries to gain better control over Sonatrach’s operations, IOCs remain concerned that the authorities are prone to inflexibility and obsessed with outmoded concepts of national interest. It is in this complex operating environment that speculation is mounting that BP might sell its Algerian assets, write Jon Marks and John Hamilton. more
Sonelgaz bail-out shows how state solutions still predominate
Recent events at state utility Sonelgaz Holding seem to point to the limits of radical thinking on major Algerian energy sector problems. more
GHANA
New field for Tullow partnership
Tullow Oil and its partners have discovered a new light oil field with the Owo exploration well on the Deepwater Tano Block. more
POINTERS
COUNTRIES AND MARKETS
ALGERIA/TUNISIA: Parastatal JV plans offshore drilling more
Apache picks up BP’s Egypt assets as troubled major looks to raise cash
The unravelling of BP’s assets has begun, with the beleaguered British major selling off a big package of assets to raise cash to pay for cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico. Questions are being asked about the future of other assets, and no operation will receive more scrutiny than BP’s Libya exploration play, write John Hamiltonand Thalia Griffiths more
MADAGASCAR
Ophir takes on Block 2102
Ophir Energy has agreed with unlisted Madagascar specialist Wilton Petroleum Ltd to take over an 80% interest and operatorship of the onshore Marovoay Block 2102. more
BP / LIBYA
Libyan E&P, sovereign wealth could play a big role in BP’s future
Pressure from Democratic Party Senator Frank Lautenberg and other congressmen on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to open an investigation into BP ’s role in lobbying for the release of the convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi has added to pressure on the British company in the United States. more
LIBYA
Libya charts new course for NOC to weather the coming storm
New management, new strategy and possible new institutions are shaking up Libya’s energy sector, but first it must get over the recent lack of commercial discoveries and a number of thorny political issues more
New management at NOC
National Oil Corporation has a new management committee. The General People’s Committee (GPC – government) decided on 13 July to restructure the national company’s executive board, replacing three of its members with four newcomers, all but one of whom has virtually no public profile. more
Revised oil law enters legislative process
The much discussed rewriting of Libya’s ancient petroleum law has moved from the realm of discussion and speculation to reality with an official announcement of the procedure through which the legislation must now pass to enter statute. more
EAST
As big guns pile into East Africa’s offshore, Aminex hopes for its own gas hub
Plans for a big East African regional pipeline may take some time to get off the ground, but Tanzania pioneer Aminex is hopeful it can develop significant reserves of gas with a relatively simple infrastructure more
SENEGAL/GUINEA BISSAU
Ophir contracts rig for AGC drilling
Ophir Energy plans to drill a deep-water well in the shared zone between Senegal and Guinea Bissau and has secured a rig from AP Moller-Maersk. more
NIGERIA
Afren acquires EER’s residual interest in OML 115
UK-based Afren has agreed terms to acquire Energy Equity Resources Oil and Gas’ residual licence interest in OML 115 in the eastern Niger Delta. more
CAMEROON
Bowleven positive on IE-3 appraisal
Edinburgh-based Bowleven has announced positive early results from the IE-3 appraisal well on the Etinde permit. more
REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Diamond moves GoM rig
Diamond Offshore Drilling says it has suspended a contract with Murphy Exploration and Production Company in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and moved the Ocean Confidence deep-water drilling rig to work for Murphy offshore the Republic of Congo. more
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Soco drills, farms out to Inpex
Soco Exploration & Production DRC has agreed to farm out a 20% interest in the onshore Nganzi Block to Japan’s Inpex Corporation. Drilling has begun on the first well, Nganga, in a three-well exploration drilling programme. more
Opaque deals and administrative bullying mark DRC’s flirtation with investment pariah status
A pattern is emerging in the way big resources contracts are being reallocated to unknown companies that the authorities say meet their criteria for fit and proper partners, and whose participation will help speed ‘post-conflict’ economic reconstruction. Politics and personal gain seem to be defining features of these deals, writesJon Marks more
GHANA
Ghana deal in balance as government stays firm on Kosmos sale
Ghana says it has secured sufficient funds to buy Kosmos Energy’s stake in the Jubilee field for itself, which would enable it to sell the stake on to the bidder of its choice, writeThaliaGriffithsandKevin Godier more
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