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The government is determined to hold a licensing round by year-end for onshore and offshore fields – as forecast by African Energy (AE 179/19) – in a very difficult political environment.

Plans to remove or cut the duty on equipment and capital goods will boost projects, with several projects in the pipeline but needing support, writes John Hamilton

Total was forced to declare force majeure on shipments of Girassol crude from Block 14 after swordfish punctured an oil loading pipe.

Tullow’s pre-emption of Heritage’s deal to sell its Ugandan holdings to Italy’s Eni is far from a done deal, even though Tullow was comfortably able to raise £925m ($1.5bn) in a share placing on 27 January. Tullow wants to buy the stakes and bring in a partner of its choosing so that it can follow a development strategy for the entire basin. “The board ofTullow has concluded that it is in the interests of shareholders for Tullow to pre-empt the sale of HOGL’s Ugandan assets and bring in a partner to deliver a unified basinwide development plan which will be significantly value accretive to all stakeholders as a result of accelerated and materially higher production,”Tullow said.

ANGOLA: ONGC in Sonangol venture; EGYPT: Spectraseis completes survey for Shell; EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Gazprom Neft to take two blocks; ETHIOPIA: Dry well for Petronas; MOZAMBIQUE: Anadarko starts offshore drilling

Two Egyptian refining projects expect to complete loan finance arrangements early this year, writes John Hamilton

France’s Technip has been awarded a lump-sum contract by Noble Energy to develop the Aseng field, located in Block I offshore Equatorial Guinea, at a water depth of approximately 1,000 metres. Technip, which is listed on Paris’ Euronext market, will carry out engineering, supply, installation and pre-commissioning of the 30km flexible pipe system, including risers, flowlines and jumpers.

Cameroon hopes to license blocks in the potentially oil-rich Bakassi peninsula following settlement of the long-running border dispute with Nigeria.

MADAGASCAR: Shaanxi Yanchang joint venture; TANZANIA: Likonde drilling; NIGERIA: ONGC investmentl; AFREN: Nigeria discovery raises reserves estimates; OANDO: Rights issue

Tullow Oil has exercised its pre-emption right over Heritage Oil’s stakes in blocks 1 and 3A in Lake Albert, blocking their sale to Eni, which announced an agreement with Heritage last year.

Critics argue that for all the talk of reform in the past two decades, elements of the Algerian state remain rotten at their core. Other observers say the situation has improved markedly during the Bouteflika years, and “technical irregularities” of the sort that have overwhelmed Sonatrach’s senior cadres will be quickly overcome. According to Algerian and international business sources contacted by African Energy,

The politicking and uncertainty that surround President Yar’Adua’s illness have further undermined confidence in the ability of Nigeria’s venal leadership to reform, while electricity and other key sectors remain in a catastrophic state

US minnow Hyperdynamics Corporation has submitted to the government a relinquishment plan for 64% of its original offshore contract area and a 2010-2011 work plan for the 36% it has selected to retain and explore (AE 176/16).

Italy’s Eni is keen to start exploration in the Cuvette Centrale (Central Basin) and in the Lake Albert blocks on the Ugandan border, despite problems engaging with the DRC government.

EGYPT: Fuel subsidies remain big drain on budget; LIBYA: Turkey asks for direct crude sales; KENYA: Vitol to buy Mombasa storage terminal; UGANDA: Foster Wheeler wins refinery feasibility study; VOPAK/ZAMIL: Mena region LNG venture