Ghana: GOIL Announces Big Reductions In Fuel Prices
Ghana’s leading indigenous Oil Marketing Company (OMC), GOIL PLC, has announced reductions in both gasoline and gasoil prices at the pump effective Thursday, March 16, 2023.
According to a release by Robert Kyere, Public Relations Manager at GOIL PLC, a litre of petrol is selling at Gh¢12.95 while diesel is selling at GH¢13.49.
During the first pricing window which ended on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, GOIL sold both petrol and diesel at Gh¢13.80 per litre.
Per today’s announcement, petrol price has been reduced by 85 pesewas while diesel saw a reduction of 31 pesewas.
This means petrol saw a 6.1 per cent reduction while diesel saw a 2.24 per cent reduction.
Other oil marketing companies are likely to adjust their pump prices later today or Friday.
Fuel prices have been falling in the West African nation as a result of two key factors notably the fall in crude oil prices on the international market and the implementation of the government’s ‘gold for oil’ programme.
Crude oil prices were hovering around US$83 per barrel last week but on Wednesday, both WTI and Brent, the international benchmark crude, tumbled.
WTI tumbled to $67.62 per barrel while Brent tumbled to $73.71 per barrel.
Since the implementation of the government’s ‘gold for oil’ programme, BOST has taken delivery of five cargoes of fuel comprising two petrol and three diesel.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: ECG To Close Offices On March 20 For Nationwide Revenue Mobilisation Exercise
Ghana’s southern power distribution company, Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG), has announced plans to embark on a month-long Nationwide Revenue Mobilisation exercise, commencing March 20 to April 20, 2023.
The company, in a statement, indicated that “this massive revenue mobilisation exercise will focus on all categories of customers in arrears including State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), and will be monitored by special teams who will apprehend and prosecute customers who attempt to interfere with the exercise, and/or undertake illegal self-reconnection after disconnection.”
The statement said under this exercise, the Head Office, Regional and District offices of ECG would be temporarily closed during the revenue mobilisation period, except for Customer Service Centres, to enable total participation by top management and staff.
“Management wishes to notify the General Public that recalcitrant customers who have refused to redeem their indebtedness to the company after they have been served with Final Demand Notice will be arraigned before the court of law,” the statement said.
It, therefore, urged all customers in arrears to pay their bills now to avoid disconnection and payment of reconnection fees.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Immediate Shift Away From Fossil Fuels Is Not The Way To Go (Opinion)
By: NJ Ayuk
Following the release of his third bestselling publication, A Just Transition: Making Energy Poverty History with an Energy Mix, African Energy Chamber (AEC) Executive Chairman, NJ Ayuk delivered a strong gas-focused speech during the Oxford Business Africa Forum, which took place under the theme, Africa’s Case for Energy and a Just Energy Transition.
In his address, Ayuk made clear the need for a pragmatic approach to the energy transition, in which the path that will get African countries to net zero emissions should not, cannot and must not be the same path that European countries travel. Citing natural gas as the best way forward, Ayuk brought attention to Africa’s biggest challenge: energy poverty, while putting forward a strategy that would enable the continent to transition to a cleaner energy future, however, not at the risk of socioeconomic development.
Kicking off his presentation, Ayuk emphasized that with over 600 million people without access to energy in Africa, it only makes sense that the continent harnesses all of its natural resources to alleviate energy poverty, and more specifically, its natural gas. According to Ayuk, “Natural gas, affordable and abundant in Africa, has the power to spark significant job creation and capacity-building opportunities, economic diversification and growth. Why shouldn’t Africa capitalize on those opportunities?”
As noted in his book, Ayuk recognized that the climate crisis represents a major challenge worldwide. In fact, Africa faces the worst impacts of the crisis, with environmental disasters threatening the livelihoods of populations. However, immediately transitioning away from oil and gas will not bring the economic relief the continent needs.
“I am not saying that African nations should continue oil and gas operations indefinitely, with no movement towards renewable energy sources. I am saying that we should be setting the timetable for our own transition, and we should be deciding how it’s carried out. What I’d like to see, instead of Western pressure to bring African oil and gas activities to an abrupt halt, is a cooperative effort. Partnerships, relationships rooted in respect, open communications and empathy. What does that look like? It begins with the belief that when African leaders, businesses and organizations say the timing is not right to end our fossil fuel operations, that we have a point. That when we are discussing our own countries, we know what we are talking about.”
Throughout his presentation, Ayuk provided in-depth insight into energy poverty in Africa, detailing how lack of energy triggers challenges regarding cooking, air pollution, health, education, employment and many more. However, Africa has the solution to addressing energy poverty: natural gas.
“A comprehensive approach to battling energy poverty, one that includes gas-to-power initiatives, is absolutely necessary. And we are seeing movement in that direction. More than a dozen African countries are already using natural gas they produce themselves or import from other countries to generate electricity. And new projects are on the way. Ghana, for example, is preparing to launch sub-Saharan Africa’s first LNG-to-power plant before the end of the year. Cameroon plans to convert an oil-fired power plant at Limbé to a natural gas-fired facility and expand production capacity. In Ivory Coast, a new combined cycle power plant is coming to Jaqueville. These projects will change African lives for the better. Reversing direction now would be a serious mistake.”
In addition to energy poverty, Ayuk went on to describe the economic benefits associated with oil and gas utilization in Africa. While renewable energy resources have and will continue to play a role in electrifying the continent – particularly across remote areas of the continent where grid connection is not feasible – oil and gas is the only way to kickstart industrialization. In this scenario, Ayuk proposes an alternative solution to the trend evident in investing in Africa. Rather than continue with financial aid, Ayuk emphasizes that investment and partnerships represent the only way of addressing energy poverty and driving economic progress.
“We don’t need help or quick fixes. We don’t need aid. We need partners and investors. We need free-market solutions that contribute to long-term stability and economic growth. Strategically harnessing our oil and gas resources, natural gas in particular, puts those objectives within our reach. The idea is to use our natural gas as a feedstock to create other value-added products, like petrochemicals, from fertilizers to ammonia. Then we take the revenues to build infrastructure, from pipelines to ports and roadways. And we open the door to economic diversification.”
As such, Ayuk made a strong case for an African-focused approach to the energy transition, citing energy poverty, economic development and investment as primary concerns. By establishing its own path to transitioning, Africa will be well equipped to make energy poverty history, mitigate climate change while at the same time driving long-term and sustainable socioeconomic growth.
“Why not, instead, take a strategic approach to Africa’s energy transition? Why not set aside a portion of fossil fuel revenues to help fund the infrastructure we need? Why not continue investing in African oil and gas projects, natural gas projects in particular, to move Africa closer to achieving a successful energy transition? And why not share your technologies with us, so we can employ solutions like carbon capture, to keep carbon emissions to a minimum? Africa needs an energy transition that takes a pragmatic approach to resolving energy poverty: by making our natural gas resources part of the solution.”
The writer is the Executive Chairman of African Energy Chamber
Kenya: Gov’t Is Not Taking Over Importation Of Petroleum Products—EPRA Boss
The Kenyan Government says it has no intention of taking over the importation of petroleum products into the East African country as is being speculated.
According to the government, it is rather stepping in to facilitate long-term contracts with suppliers through their government on an extended credit period of 180 days instead of the current 30 days.
Last week, Ndegwa and Ndegwa Associates filed a suit on behalf of some oil marketing companies against the government’s planned nationalisation of petroleum products importation.
The nationalisation of oil imports “amounts to unfair practice as an unconscionable representation that is excessively one-sided” and favours the supplier rather than the consumer, the court documents said.
However, responding to queries filed by energynewsafrica.com, Mr. Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria, Director General of the Energy and Petroleum Authority of Kenya, argued that with the government’s proposed plan, payment of petroleum products would now shift from US dollars to Kenya shillings with an expected Letter of Credit (LC) maturity of 180 days instead of the 30 days.
In his view, the step being taken by the government would reduce pressure on the country’s USD liquidity.
Below are the queries and responses by the Director General of Energy and Petroleum Authority of Kenya Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria:
Question: Why has the Government of Kenya decided to import all petroleum products instead of allowing the private sector to continue with fuel importation?
Answer: The Government will not be importing the petroleum products but rather it has stepped in to facilitate long term contracts with Suppliers through their Governments on extended credit period of 180 days instead of the current 30 days.
Question: How is the gov’t sure that taking over the importation of petroleum products would address the forex crunch and ensure the availability of fuel?
Answer: First, the payment of petroleum products by Oil Marketing Companies under the Open Tender System (OTS) will shift from USD to Kenya Shillings with an expected Letter of Credit maturity of 180 days. This therefore reduces pressure on the country’s USD liquidity. The normal demand projection and import planning under the Open Tender System will continue and this will assure security of supply of petroleum products to the country.
Question: Did the gov’t arrive at this option because there is no other way to address the forex issue?
Answer: This option was found to be the best among the considerations that were made.
Question: Now that Ndegwa & Ndegwa Associates has filed a lawsuit against the gov’t, would the gov’t consider a different option or abandon the plan or it would still go ahead?
Answer: It’s hard to comment on this matter since it’s now before Court.
Question: In Ghana, there were forex issues and this drove fuel prices higher. What the gov’t considered doing was introducing a programme called ‘Gold for oil’, and in doing so, the government decided to use BOST to import 10 per cent of fuel importation and the Bulk Oil Companies (BDCs) are still doing 90 per cent. This has resulted in a decline in fuel prices. Would the Gov’t of Kenya revise its stance and go the way of the Government of Ghana? If not, what would the government do in the face of the legal suit?
Answer: The Government of Kenya will play a facilitative role in securing long term supply contracts with potential suppliers on extended credit terms. This will be facilitated through signing of Memorandum of Understanding with potential supplier Governments. Licensed Oil Marketing Companies will still import and pay for the products.
Further, the Petroleum (Importation) Regulations of 2023 allows for duality in the importation of petroleum into the country; i.e. through a Government to Government arrangement or through the current OTS process. Therefore, the current process has not been done away with and there’s room to revert.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Vice President Touts Achievements Of BOST As He Commissions Head Office
Ghana’s Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has commissioned the ultra-modern head office of the country’s strategic fuel stock-keeping company, BOST, at Shiashi, a suburb of Accra.
The head office project was started in 2014 under the previous administration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and was to be completed in 24 months, but it suffered delay due to some issues which triggered audits and investigations by the BNI.
The project continued after all issues were addressed.
Addressing the gathering, Vice President Dr Mahmud Bawumia noted that BOST was in a chaotic and dismal state upon the assumption of the Akufo-Addo administration.
He said the company had a trading liability of about $624 million with several of the company’s assets being dysfunctional.
“I have been informed that as of 2017, BOST was saddled with liabilities of $624 million comprising legacy loan of Gh¢284 million, BDCs’ claims of $37 million, Capex $100 million and GRA tax liability of Gh¢47 million. “Additionally, 30% of BOST tanks have been decommissioned with three out of the six depots also being non-operational. Four river barges were out of commission. A total network of 361 kilometres of the pipeline was out of service and 77 kilometres of 12-inch pipelines had been detained in Houston, USA, for over 10 years as a result of contractual issues.
“So you see a picture of a company that was being run down. To complicate the dismal and chaotic state, the BOST account had not been audited for the past three years, making it difficult to determine the company’s financial position,” he said.
To address the sordid state of the company, Vice President Bawumia said BOST Board approved a five-year strategic turnaround policy drafted by management from 2020 to 2025 to prevent the company from insolvency and make it profitable.
“Between 2017 and now, 13 out of the 15 defective tanks have been repaired. All four river barges have been fixed. All pipelines repaired whilst obsolete pumps, meters and loading arms have been replaced,” he revealed.
Dr Bawumia said Management’s decision to revive their assets has increased the company’s revenue-generating assets from 34 per cent in 2019 to about 97 per cent to date.
He said the company has moved from being a loss-making entity, saying that in 2021 alone, the company recorded a profit of Gh¢164 million.
He praised the Management, Board and staff of the company for working hard to revive the company.
The Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, in a speech read for him by the Deputy Minister-designate for Energy, Hebert Krapah, said BOST is dependable as far as Ghana’s fuel security and availability are concerned.
He stated that the government plan has been to keep the light on and keep the transportation sector moving.
He said although many countries had been hit by fuel shortages with long queues and price hikes, Ghana had managed to contain the situation and made fuel available to consumers.
He said the government’s decision to introduce the ‘Gold for Oil’ programme is driving fuel prices downward, assuring the public that “we will continue to do everything to cushion Ghanaians.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
He said the company had a trading liability of about $624 million with several of the company’s assets being dysfunctional.
“I have been informed that as of 2017, BOST was saddled with liabilities of $624 million comprising legacy loan of Gh¢284 million, BDCs’ claims of $37 million, Capex $100 million and GRA tax liability of Gh¢47 million. “Additionally, 30% of BOST tanks have been decommissioned with three out of the six depots also being non-operational. Four river barges were out of commission. A total network of 361 kilometres of the pipeline was out of service and 77 kilometres of 12-inch pipelines had been detained in Houston, USA, for over 10 years as a result of contractual issues.
“So you see a picture of a company that was being run down. To complicate the dismal and chaotic state, the BOST account had not been audited for the past three years, making it difficult to determine the company’s financial position,” he said.
To address the sordid state of the company, Vice President Bawumia said BOST Board approved a five-year strategic turnaround policy drafted by management from 2020 to 2025 to prevent the company from insolvency and make it profitable.
“Between 2017 and now, 13 out of the 15 defective tanks have been repaired. All four river barges have been fixed. All pipelines repaired whilst obsolete pumps, meters and loading arms have been replaced,” he revealed.
Dr Bawumia said Management’s decision to revive their assets has increased the company’s revenue-generating assets from 34 per cent in 2019 to about 97 per cent to date.
He said the company has moved from being a loss-making entity, saying that in 2021 alone, the company recorded a profit of Gh¢164 million.
He praised the Management, Board and staff of the company for working hard to revive the company.
The Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, in a speech read for him by the Deputy Minister-designate for Energy, Hebert Krapah, said BOST is dependable as far as Ghana’s fuel security and availability are concerned.
He stated that the government plan has been to keep the light on and keep the transportation sector moving.
He said although many countries had been hit by fuel shortages with long queues and price hikes, Ghana had managed to contain the situation and made fuel available to consumers.
He said the government’s decision to introduce the ‘Gold for Oil’ programme is driving fuel prices downward, assuring the public that “we will continue to do everything to cushion Ghanaians.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com Ghana: Critics Of ‘Gold For Oil’ Policy Are Bleeding—Dr Bawumia
Ghana’s Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has described critics of the government’s ‘Gold for oil’ programme which is aimed at addressing the exchange rate depreciation and rising fuel prices as people with an impossibility mindset and bleeding.
“Some people said it will not work. Ghana doesn’t have enough gold. How can you say that? We have been mining gold for 200 years. They keep taking it out and it cannot work for us. It doesn’t make sense.
“There are people who are disappointed that it is working but bleeding is allowed. We have an impossibility mindset. You can keep to it. For us, all things are possible by the grace of God,” Dr Bawumia said during the commissioning of the head office of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) Limited in Accra on Wednesday, March 15, 2023.
According to Dr Bawumia, the introduction of the policy has helped to stabilise the Ghanaian cedi and triggered a fall in fuel prices in the West African nation.
“I am happy to note that the ‘Gold for Oil’ policy is the first policy of its kind in Ghana since independence to address this type of balance of payment crisis that we face. In my humble opinion, this is the most important macroeconomic policy intervention to deal with the exchange rate depreciation, fuel prices, food prices and inflation nexus that we have had.
“As a result of the policy, we have not only seen a decline in the price from 23 cedis per litre to around 12 cedis per litre, we have also seen stability in the exchange rate as we predicted. I say all thanks should go to the Ministry of Energy, BOST, NPA, the Bank of Ghana, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the PMMC who rose to the occasion when we faced those crises of rapidly depreciating currency along with rapidly increasing fuel, transportation and food prices.”
The Vice President, in November last year, announced that the government would use Ghana’s gold reserves to exchange for oil to stem the situation where oil importers rush for US dollars just to import, and thereby, putting pressure on the local currency.
Some Ghanaians, however, raised concerns over the lack of transparency in the policy.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Bui Power Authority Hands Over Classroom Block, Nurses’ Quarters To Communities
Ghana’s second largest state power generation company, Bui Power Authority, has handed over a six-unit classroom block to the Bongase District Assembly Primary School in the Bono Region.
Heavy rains ripped it off, and caused extensive damage to the classroom block, but the power generation company intervened and renovated the facility at the cost of GH¢250,000.
Mr. Samuel Kofi Dzamesi, the Chief Executive Officer of BPA also inaugurated three-bedroom nurses’ quarters for the Bui Community-based Health Planning Service Compound (CHPS).
The Banda District Assembly constructed the quarters and the BPA extended electricity into the facility.
Speaking at separate ceremonies at Bongase and Bui in the Banda District of the region, Mr Dzamesi stressed the authority’s commitment to facilitate the development of the communities within the Bui dam enclave.
He, therefore, advised the people to ensure proper maintenance of the facilities, saying that would inspire the BPA to do more for the people, and thereby improve their socio-economic livelihoods.
Mr Emmanuel Koney, the Banda District Chief Executive commended the BPA for taking the lead in the development of the district, saying with support from the authority, many communities have benefited from development projects.
He said the Authority had supported the drilling of boreholes, provision of classroom blocks and health facilities, and expressed the hope that the relationship between the assembly, the local people and the BPA would be deepened.
Mrs. Alimatu Amadu, the Banda District Girl Child Officer, said many of the schools in the area needed desks, tables and chairs to facilitate effective teaching and learning and appealed to the authority to come to their aid.
Mr. Abubakari Abudu, the Assistant Headmaster of the Bongase D/A Primary and Junior High School said the school had a population of 560 students and pupils and expressed appreciation to the BPA for the support.
At Bui, Nana Kwadwo Wuo II, the Chief expressed concern about the crime wave in the area and appealed to the BPA to support them with the construction of a Police Station project being undertaken there.
He also expressed appreciation to the authority for championing the development of the area and appealed to the authority to help create jobs for the youth in the communities.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
US: Biden Administration Approves Massive Willow Oil Project In Alaska
The Biden administration is approving a scaled-back version of ConocoPhillips’ (COP.N) $7 billion oil and gas drilling Willow project in Alaska, the U.S. Department of Interior said on Monday, drawing cheers from Alaskan officials and the oil industry but criticism from environmental advocates.
The decision follows an aggressive eleventh-hour campaign from opponents who had argued the development of the three drill sites in northwestern Alaska conflicts with President Joe Biden’s highly publicized efforts to fight climate change and shift to cleaner sources of energy.
Alaska’s elected officials say the project will create hundreds of jobs and bring billions of dollars in revenue to state and federal coffers.
The state relies heavily on revenue from oil production, but output there has declined dramatically from its peak in the 1980s.
“I feel the people of Alaska have been heard,” U.S. Representative Mary Peltola, a Democrat from Alaska, said on a call with reporters.
“The state of Alaska cannot carry the burden of solving our global warming issues alone.”
The fate of the project has been closely watched as Biden seeks to balance his goals of decarbonizing the U.S. economy and restoring U.S. leadership on climate change while also increasing domestic fuel supplies to keep prices low.
The United Nations, which has urged nations to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, criticized the move.
“These are not projects that move us in the right direction,” spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters when asked about the Willow approval.
The Interior Department approved the project with three drill pads after saying last month it was concerned about the greenhouse gas impacts of Willow.
ConocoPhillips had sought to build up to five drill sites and project infrastructure including dozens of miles of roads and pipelines and seven bridges.
The administration also announced late on Sunday sweeping new protections for undisturbed Alaskan lands and waters that would keep nearly 3 million acres of the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic Ocean “indefinitely off limits” for oil and gas leasing, effectively closing off U.S. Arctic waters to oil exploration. It also issued protections for 13 million acres of “ecologically sensitive” special areas within Alaska’s petroleum reserve.
Environmental groups, however, criticized the Biden administration, saying it was trying to have it “both ways” on climate change.
“Promoting clean energy development is meaningless if we continue to allow corporations to plunder and pollute as they wish,” Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter said.
Green groups have said they would challenge Willow in court. U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska said the congressional delegation is expecting an imminent legal challenge and is preparing an amicus brief to defend the project.
Houston-based ConocoPhillips welcomed Monday’s decision, having already endorsed the trimmed-down version of the project.
“This was the right decision for Alaska and our nation,” ConocoPhillips Chief Executive Ryan Lance said in a statement.
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, on Monday welcomed the “good news,” saying “this will mean jobs and revenue for Alaska” by bringing upwards of 180,000 barrels of oil per day into the Trans Alaska Pipeline.
Source: Reuters
Saudi Aramco Reports $161.1 Billion Record Profits In 2022
Saudi Aramco reported a net profit of $161.1 billion for 2022, up from $110 billion a year earlier and a record net earnings result for the company, which joins every other big oil producer in the world to benefit from higher oil prices.
The company also boasted a record cash flow from operating activities, at $186.2 billion, and a record free cash flow, at $148.5 billion.
In comments on the company’s results, Chief Executive Amin Nasser noted that he expected oil and gas demand across the world to remain robust, fueling the future growth of the company.
He also cautioned, however, that global underinvestment in new production threatened the security of supply.
“Given that we anticipate oil and gas will remain essential for the foreseeable future, the risks of underinvestment in our industry are real — including contributing to higher energy prices,” Nasser said, after saying that Aramco was working on boosting both its production capacity and “capability across the supply chain”.
Aramco’s chief executive has been repeatedly warning about underinvestment in new oil and gas output and the adverse effect this underinvestment will eventually come to have on global energy security, tightening the availability of oil and gas and making them less affordable.
Speaking to the media at the release of the company’s financial report, Nasser noted that Aramco’s spare capacity remained at 2 million barrels per day. Demand, notably from China, on the other hand, was climbing higher. Even so, the executive said there was reason for some guarded optimism.
“If you considered China opening up and a pick up in jet fuels and very limited spare capacity, we are talking 2 million barrels, so as I said we are cautiously optimistic in the short to midterm and the market will remain tightly balanced,” Nasser said, as quoted by Reuters.
Source: Oilprice.com
Uganda To Join Nuclear Power Plant Operators As It Targets 2,000 Megawatts
The Ugandan Government has announced plans to add nuclear power to its electricity generation mix by targeting to generate, at least, 2,000 Megawatts (2 gigawatts) from nuclear power.
The East African nation anticipates constructing the project in two phases, with the first phase of 1,000 megawatts expected to be ready by 2031.
Uganda is rich in uranium, which is fuel for nuclear power plants, and the country hopes to optimise its uranium reserves.
The project will be executed in partnership with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
Currently, in Africa, only South Africa operates nuclear power while Egypt started construction of its first El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in November 2022.
Ghana, which is located in West Africa, has also advanced in its nuclear power plan and hopes to announce a vendor country soon.
Addressing journalists last Thursday, Uganda’s Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, Dr Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu said studies conducted in the energy sector revealed that electricity generation from hydro, biomass, geothermal and peat potential, if fully
developed, cannot meet Uganda’s ‘Vision 2040’ targets.
She said Uganda is, therefore, making firm steps to integrate nuclear energy into the electricity generation mix to ensure energy security and provide sufficient electricity for industrialisation.
According to her, the first nuclear facility, Buyende Nuclear Power Plant, is expected to be constructed roughly 150 kilometres (93 miles) North of Kampala.
“Preparation to evaluate the Buyende Nuclear Power Plant site is ongoing to pave the way for the first nuclear power project expected to generate 2,000MW, with the first 1,000MW to be connected to the national grid by 2031,” Ruth Nankabirwa stated.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Uganda Hosts Africa Nuclear Power Conference 2023
Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the Nuclear Business Platform will host the Africa Nuclear Business Platform 2023 (AFNBP 2023) in Kampala from Tuesday, Match 14 to Friday, March 17, 2023.
Over 300 stakeholders from the international nuclear community are expected to converge at Speke Resort, Munyonyo.
AFNBP 2023 will bring together the key stakeholders pursuing nuclear energy implementation to understand and discuss nuclear energy developments in Africa and explore areas of strategic collaborations to move Uganda and African countries’ nuclear industry forward.
The President of Uganda, H.E. General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and the Deputy Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mikhail Chudakov, are expected to grace the event which would feature ministers and senior officials from various countries running nuclear programmes, industry players and nuclear technology vendors.
Addressing journalists last Thursday, the Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, Dr Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu said the Conference presents an excellent opportunity to Uganda particularly, and the African continent in general, to find suitable approaches to challenges in the nuclear industry.
Currently, seven sub-Saharan African countries, including Uganda, have committed to having nuclear energy as part of their energy mix between 2030 and 2037.
The other countries are Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya and Zambia.
She said these countries have developed national positions on having nuclear energy and have engaged with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to assist in their nuclear power programmes.
Ongoing activities in the countries include site selections, drafting nuclear laws and regulations, establishing dedicated nuclear organizations and developing strategic cooperation with key global nuclear nations such as the USA, South Korea, China, France and Russia.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Tullow Oil Commemorates International Women’s Day
Africa-focused oil and gas firm, Tullow Oil, marked the 2023 International Women’s Day with a hybrid event across the company to inspire and motivate women.
The event brought together participants from four organisations, including Girls in Science and Technology, Toronto Academy, Centre for Maritime Development for Younger Women and Developers In Vogue, to interact with Tullow staff and share their views on the theme: ‘DigitALL–Innovation and Technology for gender equality’.
The Deputy Managing Director of Tullow Ghana Limited, Mrs. Cynthia Lumor challenged individuals to take a stance for personal contribution, conscious awareness of biases and deliberate action to embrace gender equity.
She said, “Enhancing women’s safe and equal access to digital technologies is a prerequisite for sustainable development.”
Other speakers at the event included Mrs Hannah Agbozo, Associate General Counsel and Head of Legal; Kate Daly, Chief Information Officer at Tullow Oil; Sharika Iddrisu, Commercial Operations Manager; Nana Yaa Arthur, Aviation Superintendent; Gabrielle; Giona Acquah, Giona Asafu-Adjaye, Rachel Dzane-Selby, Maame Ekua Sackey and Aseye Afi Borlu from Baker Hughes and Cheryl Glover Tay from SLB.
In a related event, Ms Lina Sowah, Deputy Operations Manager for Tullow, joined the Petroleum Commission of Ghana staff to discuss Women in Petroleum: Improving Digital Literacy & Access to Technology in the Upstream Sector. Lina urged women to make a deliberate effort to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills in digital literacy to be effective in the oil and gas industry.
Tullow Oil continues to promote diversity and inclusion through digital access for its workforce, support for STEM education for women, contribution to Free Senior High School education in Ghana and providing scholarships and skills training, among other activities.
Source: Tullow
Source: Tullow Malawi: Heavy Rainfall Triggers Nationwide Blackout
Malawi has been thrown into a nationwide blackout after a heavy rainfall flooded the country’s power stations, forcing a shutdown on Sunday at about 2:30 pm.
A statement by the country’s electricity supply company, ESCOM, said heavy flow of water and trash, following the heavy rains, affected the hydropower plants at Nkula and Tedzani Power Stations which are in the Southern Region.
“Before the shutdown, heavy rains had also affected some of our transmission and distribution lines, increasing the number of faults on the supply system,” the electricity supplier said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Electricity Generation Company (EGENCO) which supplies electricity to ESCOM has said that two machines at Nkula are now back online.
The company added that efforts are underway to restore power.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Namibia: NAMCOR Announces Third Oil Discovery In Orange Basin
Namibia’s state-owned oil company NAMCOR has made a third oil discovery with partners, Shell and Qatar Energy in the Jonker-1X deepwater exploration well in the Orange Basin offshore southern Namibia, it said on Monday.
New discoveries could make Namibia, the southern neighbour of OPEC member Angola, another oil producer along the African Atlantic coast.
“We are delighted to announce this third oil discovery after the success of the Graff-1X and Venus-1X discoveries by Shell and TotalEnergies, TTEF.PA, in 2022,” Immanuel Mulunga, managing director of NAMCOR, said in a statement.
The acquired data is being evaluated, and further appraisal drilling is planned to determine the size and potential of the discovery, the statement said.
Shell Namibia B.V and QatarEnergy each hold a 45% stake in the joint venture while state-owned NAMCOR has 10 per cent.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com