Search results

Tanzania Geothermal Development Company (TGDC) is among the relative newcomers to the sector, created in response to the Tanzanian government’s concern to diversify after drought hit its dominant hydroelectric production early in the decade. Since 2013, when it was incorporated as a subsidiary of Tanzania Electric Supply Company, TGDC has promoted an “active engagement in studies” and has been working towards developing a model of geothermal development. It got funding from the government once politicians were persuaded that geothermal could supply baseload to the under-pressure grid.

Aminex and partner Solo Oil plan to focus on commercialising the Ntorya gas discovery in southern Tanzania and defer exploration commitments on the Ruvuma licence. They plan to apply for a 25-year development licence and engineer an early production system to supply gas into the new pipeline from Mtwara to Dar es Salaam.The Ruvuma production-sharing agreement (PSA) was first granted in October 2005, and is divided into the Lindi and Mtwara licences, and the Ntorya appraisal licence.

US giant KBR announced on 2 October that it had been awarded an engineering and project management services contract by the Sonatrach/Statoil/BP joint venture JVGas for the provision of detailed design engineering, procurement services and construction management at the major In Salah Gas and In Amenas gas developments. KBR said the work was expected to be carried out over 48 months by its UK and Chennai offices in partnership with its in-country engineering office.

Electricité de Guinée has launched an international call for tenders for the study, installation, testing and commissioning of ten Cummins KTA50-G3 gensets in Kankan, the country’s second largest city in the region of Haute-Guinée. The deadline for bids is 25 May. Interested bidders can obtain tender documents by written request on payment of GNF2m ($210). Contact: Salifou Camara, Département Projets, EDG Building, 4th floor, office No 419, Cité Chemin de Fer, Conakry, Guinea. Email: [email protected].

The federal government has reversed the award of three oil blocks – OPLs 226, 2005 and 2006 – to India’s Essar Exploration and Production and Sterling Global Resources during last year’s licensing round. ThisDay newspaper quoted a letter from Ministry of Energy (Petroleum) permanent secretary Sadiq Mahmood as saying neither of the firms had met the prequalification requirements for the 2007 bid round.

Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) invites prequalification bids by 19 June for the engineering, procurement and construction of phase 1 of the Chimuara-Nacala 400kV overhead transmission line, comprising two lots. Contractors may prequalify and bid for one or both lots and sign single or multiple contracts, according to the tender notice. The contract will be financed by the Islamic Development Bank. Lot 1 covers a 367km single-circuit 400kV line from the Chimuara substation to the Alto Molocué substation, including rerouting of existing lines.

Kenya is looking to take advantage of the current high levels of hydropower production to set up an energy stabilisation fund to make electricity prices more predictable for consumers. Energy principal secretary Joseph Njoroge told African Energy the ministry had finally opened talks with the Treasury to establish the fund, which was first announced in late 2017.Designed as a hedging instrument, the fund aims to cushion Kenyan consumers against price volatility caused by the use of more expensive diesel-fired generation to supplement hydropower during periods of drought.

State utility Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité (Somelec) is planning to award further contracts as it works to upgrade its national transmission and distribution system. The government has continued to secure financing from Arab/Islamic funds, and is also looking for increased western support to reflect the important role that Mauritania under President Mohammed Ould Abdelaziz has taken in the so-called G5 Sahel and other regional security initiatives, as well as its improving economic prospects as gas exports beckon early in the next decade.

Ras Lanuf refinery operator Libyan Emirati Refining Company (Lerco) is achieving excellent financial results, production department manager Lebna Ali Al-Beid was quoted on National Oil Corporation (NOC)’s website as saying.

The presidents of Nigeria and São Tomé & Príncipe have called on oil companies with acreage in the Joint Development Zone to move ahead with exploration.

Former BP boss Tony Hayward’s Genel Energy has agreed to farm into Jacka Resources’ Odewayne Block in the breakaway Republic of Somaliland, taking a 50% stake. Genel said it would become operator of the block and will carry Jacka and its partner Petrosoma through 1,500km of 2D seismic and the drilling of an exploration well, at a cost of around $50m.

The managers of Eskom’s Kendal, Matla and Hendrina coal power plants have been suspended after coal stocks ran dangerously low. Chief procurement officer Jay Pillay has been served with a precautionary notice giving him 48 hours to state why he should not be suspended. Eskom admitted last month that seven of its 15 coal plants had fewer than the target 20 days of coal stockpiles and that costly diesel generators have been running to make up the shortfall.

There is optimism about Puntland’s oil prospects following news that operator Horn Petroleum plans to test a 12-20 metre pay zone in the Shabeel-1 well on the Dharoor Valley Block, and has moved the rig to drill at Shabeel North

Operator Repsol has made an oil discovery on Block NC115 in the Murzuq Basin, 800km south of Tripoli. Partner OMV said the well was drilled to a total depth of 1,836 metres and flowed 39° API oil at a rate of 513 b/d. Repsol, OMV and Total will continue with further drilling in the area. The drilling campaign started in May 2013 and is expected to last until end-2015.

Keen to avoid the resource curse that has affected other countries in the Gulf of Guinea, the government of Ghana is consulting widely on how best to develop its nascent oil industry. Peaceful, democratic, with relevant experience from its mining industry and a sophisticated civil society, Ghana should be able to provide a model of best practice for its neighbours.