Search results

Technical and economic feasibility studies for a wind farm to generate up to 120MW - 60MW in the first phase - have got under way, according to Nafaa Baccari,

While oil and gas companies feel that the Petroleum Industry Bill’s proposed hydrocarbons tax rates of 50% for deep offshore and 25% for onshore and shallow offshore, on top of a 30% corporate income tax, are still too high, Nigerian petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has defended the long-awaited law, which she described as being “competitive by an international standard”.

Renewables projects are attracting strong interest from financiers, with Morocco offering particularly strong incentives for investors, writes John Hamilton

Already a partner in exploration licences operated by Repsol YPF and Gazprom, ambitious Italian utility Enel has bought into Petroceltic International’s gas-prone Isarène permit, which includes the Aïn Tsila gas condensate discovery and potential natural gas reserves to supply its European markets.

NAMIBIA: Eco Atlantic lists in Windhoek; SOUTH AFRICA: Ex-Burren team win exploration right

CGG has signed a multi-client data agreement with the Instituto Nacional de Petroleo (INP) following a competitive tender process held in 2016. CGG will acquire a new multi-client survey of up to 40,000km² of 3D data over the Beira High in the Zambezi Delta, covering blocks Z5-C and Z5-D and surrounding open acreage. Marine gravity and magnetic data will be acquired simultaneously with the seismic to accelerate regional interpretation.

South Africa’s controversial Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill is due to be returned to the minerals portfolio committee in early May, amid hopes that long-running uncertainty about the legal framework for exploration and production might finally be resolved. Concerns have focused on plans to transfer authority over the processing and administration of exploration and production rights from the regulatory Petroleum Agency SA to the Department of Mineral Resources’ regional managers, as well as a vague provision giving the state a 20% free carried interest in all new exploration and production rights.

Norway’s TGS has started acquisition of a 3D multi-client seismic survey covering 2,022km2 offshore Benin, which has seen an upturn in exploration activity in recent months. The BR-13 survey will be TGS’ second 3D survey in Benin, and aims to build upon current subsurface knowledge and provide improved imaging of deep Cretaceous and Tertiary strata. The seismic is being acquired by the BGP Prospector, with a ten-streamer configuration. Data processing will be performed by TGS and final data will be available to clients from Q3 2014. The survey is supported by industry funding.

Frank Timis’ African Petroleum Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China National Petroleum Corporation subsidiary PetroChina International Investment Company.

Savannah Petroleum has announced a third discovery in the Agadem Rift Basin and is exercising an option for a fourth well. The Kunama-1 well in the R3 portion of the R3/R4 PSC Area was drilled to a total depth of 2,460 metres and encountered nine metres of oil-bearing reservoir sandstones in the primary Eocene Sokor Alternances objective. The well is being suspended for future re-entry.

Morocco’s Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (Onhym) is playing down reports of an offshore discovery by Genel Energy with the Sidi Moussa 1 well. Partner San Leon Energy on 20 October said the well had reached a total depth of 2,825 metres and encountered oil during drilling operations. Onhym head Amina Benkhadra told African Energy oil traces had been found in secondary layers, but more work was needed to confirm a significant find. She said Onhym was putting in place plans to partner international oil companies if one of the many companies exploring in Morocco made a discovery.

DP World Group of the United Arab Emirates has started work on a 30-year concession to develop and manage a multipurpose port in the Somaliland commercial capital of Berbera. The $442m project, to be developed in two phases, aims to create a new trading hub for East Africa. The project will include the construction of a 400-metre quay and 250,000m2 yard extension, and the creation of a free zone offering tax advantages and investment incentives.

BBOXX on 11 January announced it was expanding operations in Democratic Republic of Congo through a partnership with Netherlands-based component manufacturer Victron Energy. The pair are targeting sales of large pay-as-you-go (PAYG) solar systems in towns and cities across the country.The systems will use BBOXX’s PAYG model and Victron’s energy components. BBOXX already sells 50W systems in rural areas of Goma, which has a population of more than 1.5m and suffers frequent blackouts, but is hoping that its partnership with Victron will facilitate sales to urban businesses of larger, 0.5-5kW systems.

Under a strategy favouring renewable energy that is driven from the royal palace, Morocco is developing one of the continent’s most strategically planned and vibrant energy sectors. Supported by banks and financiers in commercial hub Casablanca, the kingdom has developed an extremely active project pipeline across a wide range of technologies; this draws on diverse procurement strategies that have attracted very significant levels of official and private finance.

Brazil’s Vale has given the UK’s Kentz Corporation a follow-on contract for Phase 2 of the Moatize Coal Mining Project in Tete Province, one of the largest coal mining operations in Africa. Kentz was awarded the Phase 1 contract in 2009. Kentz’s Construction Business Unit will provide structural, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and piping construction services for the coal processing and handling plant, crusher, stackers, reclaimers and conveyors. Moatize is Vale’s biggest investment in Africa. Coal production started in July 2011, and the coal is carried along the Sena railroad to the port of Beira, from where it is shipped to export markets.