AfrOil - Africa Oil & Gas

PetroSA, Rosgeologia continue talks on offshore Blocks 9 and 11A

South Africa’s national oil company (NOC) PetroSA is reportedly still in talks with Rosgeologia, Russia’s state geological concern, on participation in the development of two offshore blocks.

Mozambique’s LNG players note progress

Comments from this week’s Africa Oil Week conference highlight steps being taken by Mozambique’s LNG developers as the country’s nascent LNG industry takes shape.

Nigeria amends deepwater contract law

Amid efforts to recover $62bn in purportedly lost revenues, Nigeria’s president has endorsed amendments to the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act.

Aker changes approach to Pecan oil project in Ghana

Norway’s Aker Energy said last week that it would have to revise its plans for the development of Pecan, an oilfield that lies within the DWT/CTP block, in light of a dispute with the government of Ghana.

Renergen signs two contracts for work on Virginia Gas Project

South Africa’s Renergen is moving forward with work on the Virginia Gas Project, which will be the country’s first commercial LNG plant, as well as the first liquid helium plant in Africa.

Senegal launches first bidding round

Senegal’s Oil Minister Mahamadou Makhtar Cisse launched the country’s first oil and gas bidding round on November 5.

Nigeria urged to expand use of gas

The Nigerian government’s oil and gas regulatory agency has released a report urging the country to make better use of its natural gas reserves.

Kosmos Energy reports oil find offshore Equatorial Guinea

US-based Kosmos Energy has discovered crude oil in the Rio Muni Basin, located offshore Equatorial Guinea.

Moscow’s new African initiatives

Russian companies and African states signed a number of new memoranda last week at the first Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi

Angola and Zambia return to pipeline plans

BP, Kosmos find large gas reserves offshore Mauritania

BP and Kosmos Energy have announced a large gas find offshore Mauritania, near the maritime border with Senegal.

SAOGA chief raises questions about the future role of gas, LNG in IRP

The head of the South African Oil and Gas Alliance (SAOGA) has raised questions about the role that natural gas will play in the implementation of the government’s new Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).

Eni, Nigerian partners begin gas production at Obiafu 41

A joint venture led by Italy’s Eni has begun extracting natural gas and condensate from Obiafu 41, a new site in the Niger River Delta.

Gas production set to rise soon at Libya’s Faregh field

Waha Oil Co. (WOC), a subsidiary of Libya’s National Oil Co. (NOC), has begun test operations for the second phase of development at Faregh, a natural gas and condensate field.

NOC officials say Libya needs reform to boost oil production

Representatives of Libya’s National Oil Co. (NOC) said at an industry forum in Tunis last week that the country was capable of increasing crude oil production levels significantly – but that it would have to work hard to achieve this goal.

Sonatrach weighs in on draft energy law

Sonatrach has spoken out in favour of the caretaker government’s plans for a new energy law, but the matter is far from settled.

Uganda aims to wrap up second licensing round by end-2020

Uganda’s government hopes to sign contracts for the five blocks included in its second licensing round by the end of 2020, according to Energy Minister Irene Muloni.

Gunvor, Swiss prosecutors strike settlement deal on African corruption case

Gunvor, one of the world’s largest crude oil trading companies, has settled a criminal case in Switzerland regarding its activities in Cote d’Ivoire and the Republic of Congo.

Sudan, Ethiopia agree to build joint oil pipeline

The governments of Sudan and Ethiopia are reportedly planning to work together to build a crude oil pipeline capable of serving both countries.

Sylva: Nigeria does not expect full recovery of $62bn claims against investors

Nigeria does not expect to recover all of the $62bn in claims it has lodged against oil companies.

Angola hopes reforms will help boost oil production, attract investment

Jose Massano, the governor of Angola’s Central Bank, hopes the government’s plans for economic reform will facilitate efforts to privatise key state-owned enterprises, including a stake in the national oil company (NOC), Sonangol.

Nigeria heads for a fight (and probably a settlement) with IOCs

Nigeria's push to collect $62bn from oil companies in purportedly lost revenues is likely to lead to a negotiated settlement.

Tanzania launches three-well exploration drilling campaign

Tanzania Petroleum Development Corp. (TPDC) said last week that it had begun work on a three-well exploration drilling programme in the Eyasi Wembere Basin.

ANPG representative comments on Angola’s new lease management policy

Belarmino Chittargueleca, the head of the exploration and production department of ANPG, said last week that Angola’s decision to alter the way it manages the use and ownership of its hydrocarbons reserves was already starting to pay off.

South Sudan unveils medium and long-term oil production goals

A representative of South Sudan’s Petroleum Ministry reported last week that his country had set medium and long-term goals for oil production.