Search results

With a second African National Congress administration in place. Eskom sees its expansion into other African markets as making a practical contribution to new president Thabo Mbeki's African renaissance initiatives. Reuel Khoza, the South African utility's chairman, talked regional expansion in an interview with Thalia Griffiths.

Welcome to African Energy Atlas 2011, created by cartographer David Burles, news editor Thalia Griffiths and publishing director Nick Carn, working with Cross-border Information’s African Energy team. From levels of electricity access to renewables projects in the Maghreb and oil permits in the Gulf of Guinea, Atlas 2011 charts patterns of activity and future trends across the continent

Goodluck Jonathans new cabinet is packed with surprises that the acting president hopes will cement his authority and speed up government business. Ministers have been told to move quickly to implement their national assignments, but politicking ahead of the 2011 elections will slow down many initiatives, write David Slater and Jon Marks

Minister of mineral and energy resources Gwede Mantashe said on 7 November the new draft Petroleum Amendment Bill, which is currently before cabinet, would be released for public comment within the next three weeks. The bill was drawn up following criticism of the previous government’s efforts to lump oil and gas with mining in the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) Amendment Bill (AE 379/12).

The Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons and GEPetrol signed an agreement on 9 May with Noble Energy to provide additional gas as backfill for Marathon’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant as the first phase of the government’s planned Gas Megahub project.

Given the low oil price environment where so many projects are quietly being put on hold, Shell's proposed programme for $8.5bn of investment is a powerful gesture to Nigeria's incoming civilian government. It came in the run-up to a presidential election on 27 February, contested by Olusegun Obasanjo, the only Nigerian military leader to hand over to civilian ruie, and Olu Falae, a minister of finance during the more recent military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.

The election of a new government triggered a wide-ranging evaluation of Ghanas state-dominated economy. President John Kufuor told Jon Marks that sweeping changes are needed, but the extent of problems facing the energy sector are just starting to emerge.

As the Arab Gas Pipeline nears completion, and European markets look to diversify their energy supplies, Egypt is working hard to increase its gas reserves to satisfy demand at home and abroad. Big investor BG Group and other companies told Nadine Marroushi they remained committed to major investments to raise gas output.

Ghana’s transformation into an oil producer has been an uneven, sometimes politicised process. But efforts to get legislation and new institutions in place, and to normalise relations with IOC partners, are creating a more sustainable environment for all stakeholders

While the government is making headlines with plans finally to develop the 1,600MW Batoka Gorge project with Zimbabwe, and by bringing further units of the eventual 320MW Kariba North Bank Extension Power Station on line, state utility Zesco is looking to a new generation of independent power producers (IPPs) and other projects, and a major investment in transmission infrastructure. This will confirm Zambia’s transition from dependence on imports to generating electricity for export, as well as meeting growing domestic demand.

BG Group has announced an increase in total recoverable resources for the Mzia discovery and across blocks 1, 3 and 4 offshore southern Tanzania, marking the conclusion of a drilling and testing campaign that confirmed the Mzia field as a second giant gas discovery after Jodari, with 4.7tcf of total gross recoverable resources. Total gross recoverable resources across BG’s blocks 1, 3 and 4 are now estimated to be around 15tcf, with further exploration upside, while Statoil estimates 17-20tcf of gas in place in Block 2.

With the fourth new crude stream preparing to start up in the space of a year, Nigeria is posing a long-term dilemma for OPEC as it seeks to maintain market stability, argues Jonathan Bearman.

A group led by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation is nearing a final investment decision (FID) on the Golfinho-Atum liquefied natural gas (LNG) scheme, with long-term offtake agreements and a potential financial close finally coming into view even though sale of the full 12.8m t/yr nameplate capacity from the first two liquefaction trains is unlikely to be finalised before the key move.

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission on 27 February declared incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari the winner of the delayed 23 February election. Buhari landed 55.6% of the popular vote, a clear margin over the 41.2% who voted for his main rival Atiku Abubakar, according to provisional results. Buhari’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) also extended its majority in the National Assembly.

With more companies chasing fewer opportunities in African oil and gas the competition grows ever more intense, especially in the increasing number of licensing rounds. The giants are hungry to book reserves, but optimists still see plenty of space for smaller players in this tough but rewarding environment, writes Thalia Griffiths in Cape Town.