Ghana: Energy Ministry Approves Shutdown Of OCTP Onshore Gas Receiving Facility For Upgrading
Ghana’s Ministry of Energy has approved the shutdown of OCTP Onshore Gas Receiving Facility and associated facilities in the Western Region for upgrading for a period of 18 days.
The facility will be shutdown today, Thursday, September 7, 2023, for a period of 18 days.
The facility is operated by Eni Ghana Exploration and Production Company and partners.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Energy explained that the shutdown will enable Eni Ghana and partners to undertake some debottlenecking activities that will immediately increase gas supply from OCTP field from 210mmscfd to 235mmscfd, and subsequently to 265 mmscfd to boost gas availability for power generation in the country.
The Ministry said it has made alternative arrangements for fuel for power generation.
“The Ministry therefore does not anticipate power outage as a result of this exercise. However, in the unlikely event that power generation would be impacted the public would be fully informed,” it said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
U.S. Seizes 1 Million Barrels Of Smuggled Iranian Crude Enroute To China
U.S. authorities seized nearly 1 million barrels of Iranian oil that were being illegally smuggled to China earlier this year, reports have emerged.
The U.S. seized Greek-owned M/T Suez Rajan with court filings showing allegations from U.S. prosecutors that Iran falsified the vessel’s cargo records and obfuscated its location to avoid accurate tracking.
The Greek shipper has already agreed to pay a $2.4 million fine.
Iranian crude exports have hit as high as 2mb/d, the highest level since 2018 despite the country still being under U.S. sanctions.
Tehran says it has boosted crude output to above 3 million bpd, again the highest since 2018.
All that oil from Iran is certainly playing a part in keeping the markets looser than what Saudi Arabia and OPEC might hope for.
Prospects of reviving the Iran nuclear deal have swung dramatically, from near certain in March 2022 to almost nil by the end of the year and somewhere in the middle currently.
Although prospects of a deal being signed any time soon appear dim, relations between Washington and Tehran have warmed up considerably, with the Biden administration unblocking frozen assets and possibly even allowing Iran’s enrichment of uranium.
The U.S. administration might not openly admit it, but it has opted to look the other way and allowed Iran oil sales to hit record highs–obviously happy to keep markets supplied in a bid to keep oil prices low.
Earlier, reports emerged that the U.S. and Iran are making progress after resuming talks on a nuclear deal, a move that could ease sanctions on Iran’s oil exports.
Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported that the talks are moving forward more rapidly than expected, with the possibility of a deal being struck in a matter of weeks.
Deal terms are likely to include Iran ceasing its 60% and higher uranium enrichment activities in return for permission to export as much as 1M bbl/day of oil.
But the latest Bloomberg report claims Iran’s soaring oil exports following secret diplomacy with the U.S. are likely to fall for the rest of the year as demand in Asia wanes with the end of summer
Source: Oilprice.com
Ghana: GOIL, Vivo Energy Sponsor IBIA Africa Bunker And Shipping Conference
Ghana’s leading indigenous oil marketing company GOIL PLC and Vivo Energy, the company that distributes and markets fuels and lubricants across Africa, sponsored the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) Africa Bunker and Shipping Conference which took place in Accra of Ghana.
GOIL was a gold sponsor while Vivo Energy was a silver sponsor.
The conference which begun on 5th September and ended on 7th September, 2023, brought together industry specialists to discuss the latest developments and challenges in the energy and shipping sectors.
Accra is a key maritime hub in West Africa, with a strategic location on the Gulf of Guinea, playing a significant role in facilitating trade and commerce in the region.
Vivo Energy provides marine services in eleven markets across Africa. We supply both marine fuels and lubricants to a growing number of private and merchant fleets as well as to naval customers and work to build partnerships with our marine customers, often by providing a range of technical services to complement our product offering.
Commenting on the sponsorship of the conference, Aminata Sarr, Aviation & Marine Business Development Manager at Vivo Energy said: “We are very proud to be part of this international event at the cutting edge of the bunkering and shipping industry. We look forward to meeting existing and potential future customers over the coming days in Accra.”
Ghana: VRA Cautions Residents Along White Volta River About Bagri Dam Spillage
The Volta River Authority (VRA) has cautioned those living around the White Volta River to take adequate precautionary measures to avoid being adversely affected by the spillage from Bagri Dam in Burkina Faso.
Bagre Dam is a multipurpose dam on the White Volta located near Bagre Village in Burkina Faso.
The power generation company in a statement said their counterpart in Burkina Faso, SONABEL, has informed them that due to high inflows into the Bagri Dam, high reservoir elevations have been recorded which has necessitated spillage of water from the Bagri Dam.
According to VRA, the water levels of the White Volta River and its tributaries are expected to rise with discharge from the Bagri Dam coupled with high rainfall in the northern parts of the country.
“This means that areas along the White Volta River, especially, are at a high risk of flooding,” VRA said.
The power generation company called on all stakeholders, residents, Chiefs, opinion leaders, security agencies as well as the general public to take precautionary measures to avoid the adverse effects of the situation.
“VRA will continue to monitor the situation and provide more information when necessary,” the statement said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Energy Minister Commends VRA For Supporting Initiatives To Reform Energy Sector
Ghana’s Minister for Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has commended the Volta River Authority, the state-owned largest power Generation Company in the West African nation, for its commitment to key government initiatives that have been identified to bring about desired transformation and reforms to the energy sector.
The initiatives include programs and projects such as the VRA restructuring exercise, relocation of the AMERI Plant project, T3 repowering project, fuel security in the Western Enclave among others.
The sector Minister noted that when these initiatives are fully implemented they would improve operational efficiencies in the Authority and the sector as a whole.
Addressing stakeholders of VRA at the Authority’s 13th Stakeholders’ interface held recently at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, the Minister indicated that his outfit would continue to provide policy guidance towards the development of these energy sector activities to ensure that the projects and programs come to fruition.
The Board Chairman, Mr. Kofi Tutu Agyare in his statement said VRA has continued to make progress due to the unflinching commitment and dedication of the Management Team and Staff.
“They have not lost sight of the strategic objectives of the organisation. I thank them for their diligence and co-operation,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Board Chairman, Mr. Kofi Tutu Agyare in his statement said VRA has continued to make progress due to the unflinching commitment and dedication of the Management Team and Staff.
“They have not lost sight of the strategic objectives of the organisation. I thank them for their diligence and co-operation,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com US Pledges KSh 4.3Billion To Africa To Support Climate Change Mitigation
The United States Government has pledged KSh 4.3 billion (US$29,420,600) annually to build climate resilience in Africa.
US Presidential Special Envoy on Climate John Kerry disclosed this in Nairobi, Kenya at the Africa Climate Summit
According to him, the Biden administration is working on a fund to help nations affected by climate change respond to emergencies.
“As part of implementing President Joe Biden’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE) – an initiative launched at the COP26 in Glasgow, I’m pleased to announce the US’ intent to provide an additional KSh 4.3 billion to accelerate climate-resilient food security efforts across Africa,” Kerry said.
Kerry said President Joe Biden’s administration will first provide KSh 3 billion to the Africa Adaptation Initiative for the Food Security Accelerator, which will invest in African agricultural businesses and help them create independent and climate-resilient supply chains.
Second, KSh 1.4 billion will go to the Climate Resilience and Adaptation Finance and Technology Transfer Facility to scale technologies advancing adaptation like cold chain storage, which helps maintain the quality and safety of food from the farm into people’s homes,” he added.
The White House has repeatedly stated, “On day one in office, President Joe Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement” after his predecessor Donald Trump pulled the US out of the agreement. The summit’s opening speeches included clear calls to reform the global financial structures that have left African nations paying about five times more to borrow money than others, worsening the debt crisis for many.
For instance, Kenya’s Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya said Africa has over 30 of the world’s most indebted countries.
Kerry disclosed President Biden launched PREPARE, to help half a billion people in developing countries, especially in Africa, adapt to the worst impacts of this crisis this decade. “President Biden wants to work alongside African nations to lead the way in adapting to and managing the impacts of climate change. That’s why, as part of PREPARE, he’s committed to working with Congress to provide KSh 4.3 billion annually for adaptation by 2024, the largest commitment in US history,” Kerry explained.
Apart from the US, the United Arab Emirates, which will host the next United Nations climate meeting, announced it plans to invest KSh 656 billion in Africa’s “clean energy potential.”
On her part, European Union President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe wants to be Africa’s partner in climate action. “It is time to move from words to action. Climate financing should be brought to the international podium at COP28. KSh 145 billion will be allocated to sustain investments. We need to build and grow Africa’s green market. Let us take this to the COP28,” she explained.
President William Ruto said the tragedy of climate change is that it is relentlessly eating away at the progress that has been made in mitigating it.
“Going by evidence based on scientific projections, its appetite to consume our GDP will grow in years to come. We are already losing between 5-15% of our GDP growth every year to the adverse impacts of climate change,” he explained.
Kenya: UAE Pledges US$4.5 Billion For Green Energy At Africa Climate Summit
The United Arab Emirates has pledged $4.5bn investments in clean energy in Africa at the Africa Climate Summit, currently underway in Nairobi, capital of Kenya.
Sultan al-Jaber, who heads the UAE’s national oil company ADNOC and government-owned renewable energy company Masdar, said the investment would “jumpstart a pipeline of bankable clean energy projects in this very important continent”.
Al-Jaber, who is also president of the COP28 climate summit, said a consortium including Masdar would help develop 15 gigawatts of clean power by 2030.
Africa’s renewable generation capacity was 56GW in 2022, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
The three-day Nairobi summit, which began on Monday, has attracted heads of state, government and industry, including leaders from Mozambique and Tanzania, as well as United Nations head Antonio Guterres, European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and United States’ climate envoy John Kerry.
It is billed as bringing together African leaders to define a shared vision for green development on the diverse continent of 1.4 billion and set the tone for a flurry of international diplomacy leading up to the COP28 meeting.
But the continent faces steep challenges, particularly in the form of mounting debt costs and a dearth of finance. Despite an abundance of natural resources, just 3 percent of energy investments worldwide are made in the continent.
Guterres urged the international community to help “make Africa a renewable energy superpower”.
“Renewable energy could be the African miracle, but we must make it happen,” Guterres told government and industry leaders.
With the world falling far short of its global goals to limit warming, Guterres spoke directly to the Group of 20 nations, whose leaders are meeting in India at the weekend, and told them to “assume your responsibilities” in the battle to reduce planet-warming emissions.
Kenya: President Ruto Opens Africa Energy Forum Attended By 4,000 DelegatesA clean energy transition across the world’s developing nations will be crucial to keep alive the Paris Agreement goal of capping global warming “well below” 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times, and 1.5C (2.7F) if possible. To make that happen, the International Energy Agency says investment will need to surge to $2 trillion a year within a decade – an eightfold increase. Speakers at the summit have doubled down on calls to reform global financial structures to align with climate and green development goals. Al-Jaber called for a “surgical intervention of the global financial architecture that was built for a different era”, urging institutions to lower debt burdens. On the opening day of the summit, President Ruto said trillions of dollars in “green investment opportunities” would be needed as the climate crisis accelerates. “Africa holds the key to accelerating decarbonisation of the global economy. We are not just a continent rich in resources. We are a powerhouse of untapped potential, eager to engage and fairly compete in the global markets,” Ruto said. . The summit’s focus on some climate finance proposals has drawn opposition from some environmental quarters, with hundreds of demonstrators protesting near the conference venue in Nairobi on its opening day. A coalition of civil society groups has been urging Ruto to steer global climate priorities away from what it perceives as a Western-led agenda that champions carbon markets and other financial tools to redress the climate crisis.
Senegal: ContourGlobal, Wärtsilä Sign Long-Term Service Agreement To Ensure Power Supply Reliability
Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a long-term service agreement for two years with ContourGlobal, a global energy provider based in the U.S.
The agreement covers the company’s 86MW Cap des Biches power plant in Dakar, Senegal.
The plant dispatches power to the national electricity distributor Senelec, and reliability of supply is essential.
The Wärtsilä agreement is designed to ensure that the customer’s commercial and contractual terms and conditions are met.
The scope of the agreement includes all spare parts for major overhauls of the engines, optional field service personnel to carry out maintenance tasks, along with a guarantee limiting the downtime during scheduled maintenance procedures.
“We have worked closely with Wärtsilä on projects in different countries, and appreciate the professional and highly qualified support that they are able to deliver. This agreement provides us with important guarantees that will allow us to supply electricity to the grid in line with our commitments. Furthermore, it provides predictability of costs, while freeing our people to focus on their core business,” said ContourGlobal’s CEO for Africa, Ara Hovsepyan.
“Our partnership with ContourGlobal has been strong for a number of years, and this agreement represents another step in furthering the relationship. Long-term service agreements are a central element in our lifecycle support approach to meeting the specific operational needs of our customers. They come with guarantees that promote both reliability and operational performance,” commented Marc Thiriet, Energy Business Director, Africa, at Wärtsilä.
Wärtsilä has earlier supplied engines and energy storage systems for ContourGlobal power plants in various countries in Africa and the Caribbean.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: GRIDCo’s Internal Audit Manager Sworn In As President Of Institute Of Internal Auditors
Ghana’s Grid Company’s Internal Audit Manager, Mr Joseph Zumasigee has been sworn in as the 7th President of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) in the Republic of Ghana.
The Institute of Internal Audit is a global organisation focused on internal auditing.
The induction ceremony happened on August 30, 2023, in Accra, and it brought together members of the IIA, some staff of GRIDCo and some family members of the inductee.
Delivering his address after the induction, Mr Zumasigee pledged to address challenges in Ghana’s operational environment and promote good governance practices.
The Director-General of the Internal Audit Service Dr. Eric Oduro Osae expressed support for the new council.
Before his election, Mr Zumasigee had served as Vice President of the Institute.
In a post sighted by this portal, his employer, Ghana Grid Company congratulated him for the honour he had brought to the organisation and himself, as well as his family.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Delivering his address after the induction, Mr Zumasigee pledged to address challenges in Ghana’s operational environment and promote good governance practices.
The Director-General of the Internal Audit Service Dr. Eric Oduro Osae expressed support for the new council.
Before his election, Mr Zumasigee had served as Vice President of the Institute.
In a post sighted by this portal, his employer, Ghana Grid Company congratulated him for the honour he had brought to the organisation and himself, as well as his family.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com Kenya: President Ruto Urges Africa To Seize Climate Financing Opportunities
Kenyan President William Ruto has urged African leaders who are attending the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi to see the climate crisis as a unique opportunity for the continent to attract billions of dollars in investment.
Organisers say they anticipate hundreds of millions of dollars in deals to be announced at the three-day summit, during which they aim to showcase Africa as a destination for climate investment rather than a victim of floods, drought and famine.
African leaders are pushing market-based financing instruments such as carbon credits in a bid to mobilize funding that they say has been slow to arrive from rich-world donors.
“For a very long time we have looked at this as a problem. It is time we flipped and looked it from the other side,” Ruto told delegates.
“We must see in green growth not just a climate imperative but also a fountain of multi-billion dollar economic opportunities that Africa and the world is primed to capitalise,” he said.
Many African campaigners, however, have opposed the summit’s approach to climate finance, saying it advances Western priorities at the expense of the continent.
They say carbon credits, which allow polluters to offset emissions by funding green activities, are a pretext for wealthier countries and corporations to continue polluting.
Kenya: President Ruto Drives Electric Car To Climate Change Summit Venue
Kenyan President, William Ruto, on Sunday, drove himself in an electric car to the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) where the Africa Climate Summit is taking place between Monday, September 4, and Wednesday, September 6, 2023.
According to a video shared online, the President is seen driving a yellow car from the State House to KICC.
The President was accompanied by an all-electric motorcade comprising two motorbike outriders, two cars and two electric bicycles.
The President visited the KICC to attend the Africa Youth Climate Assembly, a precursor to the African Climate Summit which started today, Monday.
The African Climate Summit will run parallel with the Africa Climate Week which will run from September 4—8.
Over 30,000 delegates are expected to attend the summit including over 25 heads of state and government.
While opening the African Youth Climate Assembly on Saturday, Ruto called on the youth to unite and participate in the event.
He said witnessing brilliant young minds from across the continent showcase climate solutions gives him immense joy.
“Two months ago, under the Eiffel Tower, I called upon the youth of the world to join us in Nairobi to champion the global climate,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: PURC Probes ECG Customers’ Complaints Of High Estimated Bills
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) is investigating complaints by some post-paid customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) that they have been given higher estimated bills for about three months.
The Commission disclosed this in a statement issued and signed by its Executive Secretary, Dr Ismail Ackah, on Monday, September 4, 2023.
The Electricity Company of Ghana is responsible for power distribution in the southern part of the Republic of Ghana.
“The Commission is closely monitoring and investigating the situation where some customers were issued with perceived high estimated bills for May 2023, June 2023, and July 2023, to ensure amicable resolution of these issues,” Dr Ackah said.
He encouraged all affected customers to report such high estimated bills on their post-paid meters to ECG for resolution.
“If they are, however, not satisfied with the ECG resolution, affected customers can report to the Commission’s Regional Offices on the following contact numbers: Accra, 0540126201; Kumasi, 0540126202; Ho, 0540126206; Takoradi, 0540126203; Koforidua, 0540126205 and Cape Coat, 0540126208,” he added.
Dr. Ackah assured the Commission’s stakeholders of their commitment to protecting the interests of consumers and utility service providers.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
South Africa: Eskom Begs South Africans To Put Off Non-Essential Appliances As It Implements Stage 6 Load Shedding Indefinitely
South Africa’s power utility, Eskom, has announced that it will, on Tuesday, escalate stage ‘6’ load shedding indefinitely.
In a statement on Monday, Eskom said the stage ‘6’ load shedding will be implemented from 05:00 on Tuesday and will only publish an update should any significant changes occur.
Giving reasons for the indefinite load shedding, Eskom attributed the development to an increase in generation planned maintenance as well as the loss of a further two generation units on Monday.
Eskom added that a further two units at Lethabo and Matla power stations would need to be shut down for urgent repairs.
Eskom noted that breakdowns are currently at 16,210MW of generating capacity while the capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 5,894MW.
“Since Sunday, a generating unit each at Kriel and Medupi power stations was taken offline for repairs.
“In the same period, a generating unit at Arnot, Kendal, Kriel and Lethabo power stations was returned to service.
“The delay in returning to service a generating unit each at Hendrina and Tutuka power stations is also contributing to the current capacity constraints,” Eskom said.
Eskom assured that its teams are working tirelessly to return these generating units to service.
The power utility said its forecast for the evening peak demand is 28,603MW and appealed to the public to continue reducing demand by switching off non-essential appliances.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
UK Fuel Prices See One Of The Largest Monthly Increases In 23 Years
UK drivers experienced a big shock at the pump in August as the prices of gasoline and diesel saw some of the biggest monthly jumps in 23 years amid rallying international crude oil prices, RAC, the UK’s longest-serving motoring organization, said on Monday.
The price of gasoline in the UK rocketed by nearly 6.68 pence per liter in August while diesel shot up by 8 pence, making for the fifth and sixth biggest monthly rises in 23 years, data from RAC Fuel Watch shows.
The average price of unleaded gasoline made filling up a tank $5.05 (£4) more expensive in August compared to July, while the price of diesel at the end of August made a fill-up $5.57 (£4.41) more expensive, RAC said.
Barclays Sees $97 Brent Oil Price In 2024 As Market Tightens
“The rising prices at the pumps have been caused by the increasing cost of oil, which has gone up nearly $12 since the start of July to nearly $87 a barrel now, due to producer group OPEC+ reducing supply,” RAC said.
“This led to the wholesale cost of fuel – the price retailers pay – going up, which in turn has been passed on to drivers on the forecourt,” the organization noted.
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams commented, “August was a big shock to drivers as they had grown used to seeing far lower prices than last summer’s record highs.”
At the start of September, crude oil prices hit the highest level so far this year amid a tightening market and expectations that Saudi Arabia and Russia would extend their supply cuts into October.
WTI exceeded $85 per barrel and Brent topped $88 a barrel on Friday and continued to trade above those levels in Asian trade on Monday. Meanwhile, gasoline prices in the U.S. also climbed.
Despite the higher WTI price, gasoline prices in the United States could fall in the coming weeks, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said on Friday.
“WTI crude surpasses $85/bbl, the highest level since November, but the outlook for #gasprices is still for an eventual fade that will start with the switch back to cheaper winter gasoline which happens on September 16,” De Haan tweeted.
Source: Oilprice.com