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Sierra Leone’s much vaunted reconciliation is looking more fragile than ever as November’s elections approach, at a time when – as African Energy’s new upstream oil update table shows – resources companies are expressing more interest than ever in the country’s potential for yielding hydrocarbons and minerals, writes Thalia Griffiths

Some of the names already involved in the Sierra Leone natural resources sector are controversial. Frank Timis’ London AIM-listed African Minerals Ltd (AML) is developing the Tonkolili iron ore project, while his National Stock Exchange of Australia-listed African Petroleum Corporation has offshore exploration block SL-03.

ANADARKO: Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone setbacks; NIGERIA: Providence completes Aje sale to Jacka

With IFIs lining up to support the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative, the European Investment Bank is looking to play a significant role in kick-starting investment

After several dry wells, two new finds have offered confirmation of the potential of the West African Transform Margin beyond Ghana, with African Petroleum announcing Liberia’s first oil find, and success for Anadarko with the Jupiter well offshore Sierra Leone.

Canada’s Talisman Energy farmed into Block 4B-10 in mid-2011, taking 80%

Canada’s Talisman Energy farmed into Block 4B-10 in mid- 2011, taking 80%. The seller was the British Virgin Islands UK-registered Prontinal, which with its predecessor company #8 Investments Inc had owned the block since the 2002 licensing round. Sierra Leonean petroleum unit sources last spring said that Talisman, which does not have a large Africa footprint following the 2003 sale of its Sudan interests, had bought into the block,but the company declined to confirm this at the time. In 2009,Simco Petroleum Management opened a data room for Prontinal which was attended by some 30 companies.

President Ernest Bai Koroma has removed energy minister Ogunlade Davidson and replaced him with former banker Oluniyi Robbin-Coker, who was previously his private sector policy adviser.

IFC invests in Canadian miner; Benchmark bond; Addax Bioenergy reaches financial close

With interest in the West African Transform Margin steadily increasing, Sierra Leone has launched a bid round for its nine open blocks. An announcement published by the Petroleum Directorate said the bid period would run from 29 December to 30 March

Bumbuna hydro developer Joule Africa has appointed three big names to its advisory board. Lord Triesman was UK parliamentary

Addax and Oryx Group subsidiary Addax Bioenergy SA has broken ground for the construction of an ethanol refinery and biomass-fuelled power plant, due to become operational in 2013, at its sugarcane plantation development near Makeni in central Sierra Leone. Addax Bioenergy in June signed a loan agreement with seven European and African development finance institutions

Addax and Oryx Group subsidiary Addax Bioenergy SA has broken ground for the construction of an ethanol refinery and biomass-fuelled power plant, due to become operational in 2013, at its sugarcane plantation development near Makeni in central Sierra Leone

TGS-Nopec has begun acquiring a new multi-client 3D seismic survey offshore Sierra Leone. On completion of the 1,038km2 survey, TGS will have over 6,200 km2 of contiguous multi-client 3D data offshore.

After coming close to losing its licence for Block SL-5, Oranto Petroleum has bounced back, bringing in regional players Lukoil Overseas and Vanco Energy Company as farm-in partners