Ghana: Government Loses Over $150 Million To Transmission Losses In A Decade (Article)The Bank’s country manager in Madagascar, Mohamed Cherif, said the project demonstrates the Bank’s commitment to increasing access to clean and low-cost energy. This, in turn, is expected to lead to the emergence of new economic opportunities, the development of industrialization, increased business competitiveness and job creation on the Indian Ocean island. As the sector’s lead donor, the Bank is already actively engaged in several transformative energy projects in Madagascar, including PRIRTEM-I and the Sahofika plant, both intricately linked to PRIRTEM-II. The project is aligned with the Bank’s Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2017-2021 for Madagascar, which focuses on the development of energy and transport infrastructure to support the country’s inclusive growth, as well as with the National Energy Policy (NPE). The project is also in line with the Bank’s New Deal on Energy for Africa 2016-2025, as well as its High-5 priorities “Light up and Power Africa” and “Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.” Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Madagascar: African Development Bank Approves US$43 Million Loan To Finance Phase II Of Power Transmission Project
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved a loan of UA 30 million ($42.9) million to finance the second phase of a major power transmission and interconnection project in Madagascar.
The Power Transmission Network Reinforcement and Interconnection Project in Madagascar (PRIRTEM-II) include the construction of a 135-km, 220 kV interconnection line between the capital Antananarivo and the central industrial city of Antsirabé.
The project will help to feed the power generated by the Sahofika Hydropower Plant into the national grid, supplying some 8 million people with affordable, clean energy.
The financing comprises a loan of UA 20 million ($28.6 million) from the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional lending window of the Bank, and a loan of UA 10 million ($14.3 million) from Pillar 1 of the
Transition Support Facility (TSF), the Bank’s financing mechanism for fragile and transition countries.
The second phase of the project also includes the electrification of 19 villages in the Soanindrariny, Ambohidranandriana, Ambatomena and Ambohimiarivo municipal councils of central Madagascar, a country which, despite having huge renewable energy potential, has an electricity access rate of only 15% nationally and 6% in rural areas.
Baker Hughes Launches EngageSubsea For Remote Inspections
Baker Hughes has launched engageSubsea remote – an extension of the engageSubsea platform for remote inspections, and offshore operational and technical support.
EngageSubsea remote serves as an equipment inspection tool, technical support and operational management platform, and is designed to drive operational excellence and increase capital productivity for offshore oil and gas operators, according to Baker Hughes.
Providing access to real-time information on equipment status and location enables users to manage equipment portfolio more effectively and efficiently by increasing safety and reducing time and cost.
EngageSubsea remote has already been proven in live deployments, including customer sites in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), offshore operations and Baker Hughes services facilities around the globe.
These deployments saw time to first-time fix improve by 80%, while resolution time improved by 69%, with an overage cost savings of 50%. As a result of reduced travel and site visits, carbon emissions were also reduced by 22%, according to Baker Hughes.
OTC 2021 Event Postponed Until AugustThe platform can be used in any location, both onshore and offshore, even with a low bandwidth connection. From the live status of offshore activity planning, to remote management of asset maintenance and sustainability management, engageSubsea remote has been designed to improve all aspects of an operator’s inspection process. It is further used to support offshore operations and allows remote support and technical support when required. Ben Linke, Vice President of Services and Offshore, Oilfield Equipment at Baker Hughes, said: “We understand our customers’ challenges. This sector is under constant pressure to improve performance and reduce costs, but of course safety must always remain the top priority. “That’s why we developed engageSubsea remote, which is especially valuable in the current environment where travel and site visits are restricted, but inspection work remains critical, engageSubsea can help to bridge that gap while also improving operator efficiency and lowering their carbon footprint. “Ultimately, this solution is about optimizing offshore operations and reducing unnecessary exposure to risk – whether the pre-existing hazards of offshore work or the current pandemic”. Operators are under increasing pressure to cut costs, reduce rig time and downtime, while improving efficiency and ensuring the continued safety of their operations. COVID-19 has significantly magnified this pressure by tightening budgets further, while limiting travel and site visits during lockdown. Baker Hughes recognizes these challenges and has developed engageSubsea remote in response.
Kenya:Tullow, Africa Oil Get Extension For Kenya Project
Tullow Oil and its joint venture partner Africa Oil have secured licence extensions from Kenya to continue exploration and production activities in South Lokichar until 2021.
The licence extensions mean the joint venture partners can now reassess the Project Oil Kenya and design an economic project at low oil prices while retaining the phased development concept.
It will also allow Tullow, Total and Africa Oil, to reconsider plans for the development.
Tullow Oil has been undertaking a six-month review of the viability of its operations in Kenya after a planned sale of its stake in the project fell through.
Tullow Makes US $575 Million From Sale Of Ugandan Assets To TotalThe Joint Venture partners will in the coming months work closely with the government on land and water agreements, gaining approval of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and finalising the commercial framework for the project. The successful completion will enable the submission of Field Development Plans to the government. Kenya’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum recently granted the company an extension for their 10BB/13T blocks exploration licences after approving its work programme and budget for the next year. Rahul Dhir, Tullow Oil CEO said Kenya held a substantial resource, but there were many development challenges particularly low prices. “I would like to thank the Government of Kenya for granting this extension which the Joint Venture partners will use to fully re-assess the development concept for this important project,’’ he said.
Tunisia: JICA Supports Tunisian Gov’t To Produce 3500MW Of Power From Renewable Energies
The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has launched a study in the renewable energy sector in the North African country, Tunisia.
The initiative is part of the cooperation between Japan and the Tunisian government in the renewable energy sector.
Relying mainly on solar and wind energy, the North African country intends to produce the equivalent of 3,500 megawatts (MW) in ten years.
The study aims at a detailed examination of the potential impacts and issues related to a massive integration of electricity produced from renewable sources.
It also aims to find appropriate solutions for each issue.
This study programme “represents an excellent opportunity for JICA’s main partner Steg (the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company, editor’s note). This is to immerse themselves in the best practices developed in Japan in this field. It is also an opportunity to take advantage of the technology transfer planned during the implementation of activities under the programme,” says JICA.
The study programme will continue until the end of 2021. It follows on from the visit that JICA experts made to Tunisia from 15 to 24 July 2019, with the aim of identifying the potential for cooperation in the renewable energy sector.
Japan is keen to put its rich experience in renewable energy at the service of Tunisia’s energy ambitions.
Relatively lagging behind the countries of its region, Tunisia intends to catch up. The North African country which still only produces 3 % of its electricity from renewable sources wants to increase this share to 30 % by 2030.
That is to say 3500 MW of power in 10 years.
Marking its choice for solar and wind power, Tunisia has launched four calls for tender in the space of three years, for the realisation of electricity production projects from these sources.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: GOIL Supports Renovation Of Police Hospital Executive Wing
Ghana’s leading indigenous Oil Marketing Company, GOIL Company Limited (GOIL), has assisted the Ghana Police Service financially to refurbish the executive ward of the Police Hospital in Accra to a modern ward status.
The four-bed capacity ward, with a nursing station, is now well-equipped with an office.
The first phase of the renovation project, initiated in 2019 by the Medical Director, Dr. Marian Tetteh-Koboe, involved the refurbishment of the walkway.
The second phase of the renovation project, which began three months ago, took care of the ward.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
REPP Injects £1 Million Into Smart Battery Rental Business Targeting Off-grid CustomersIn a brief remark at the commissioning of the renovated facility, the Managing Director & Group Chief Executive Officer of GOIL, Kwame Osei-Prempeh indicated that the company would continue to support such worthy cause as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility mandate. The Medical Director of the Police Hospital, Dr Marian Tetteh-Koboe commended GOIL for its support and explained that the facility would benefit both service personnel and general public. In attendance at the commissioning of the facility were the Director General Technical of the Ghana Police Service, Samuel Monnie, who represented the IGP, and DCOP Ebenezer Ewusi Emmin, Deputy Medical Director of the Hospital. Others were the Administrator of the Hospital, DCOP David Eklu, and the Director of Nursing Services of the Hospital, Chief Superintendent Juliana Adjeiwaa Darteh.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Kasoa Bulk Supply Point Project Is 40% Complete
Works on the ongoing 435MVA Gas Insulated Switchgear Bulk Supply Point at Kasoa in Central Region in the Republic of Ghana is progressing speedily.
The project is currently about 40 percent complete, Senior Project Manager, Mawunyo Rubson told energynewsafrica.com in a telephone interview.
When energynewsafrica.com visited the site recently, workers were seen busily working to ensure that the contractor met the completion date.
The US$42.3 million Kasoa BSP is being executed by German electrical company with Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) being the implementing agency and it is being funded by Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) under the Ghana Power Compact II.
The project, which began in January 2020, is expected to be completed by July 2021.
The Kasoa BSP, when completed, would be the second largest BSP in the country, after the Pokuase BSP, which is currently under construction.
The project would, among other things, reduce the transmission and distribution system losses suffered by GRIDCo and ECG respectively, and would ultimately improve the operational and financial performance of the utility providers.
It would, further, improve power supply in Kasoa and its surrounding communities in the Central Region with about 250,000 customers of ECG expected to be served.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria Spends N700.46bn On Fuel Imports In Three Months
Nigeria has spent N700.46 billion(US$1,838,476,640.00) to import petroleum products in the third quarter of this year, the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics have shown.
This is more than three times the N221.47 billion spent on fuel imports in the previous quarter, but 44.08 percent lower than the N1.25 trillion incurred in the first three months of the year.
Fuel consumption and imports plunged to record low in second quarter amid the lockdown imposed by the Federal Government to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Venezuela: Maduro Accuses CIA Of Bribing Oil WorkersData obtained from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation showed that the volume of petrol imported into the country, through the Direct Sale Direct Purchase scheme, fell from a high of 2.25 billion litres in March to 1.81 billion litres in April and 495.10 million litres in May. Under the DSDP scheme, selected overseas refiners, trading companies and indigenous companies are allocated crude supplies in exchange for the delivery of an equal value of petrol and other refined products to the NNPC. The country’s refineries have remained in a state of disrepair for many years despite several reported repairs. The NNPC has been the major importer of petroleum products into the country in recent years. Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
South Africa: Eskom’s Six Months Interim Results Show Signs Of Progress
South Africa’s power utility company, Eskom, is showing signs of progress, according to the company’s Interim Results for the six months’ period ended September 2020.
The company, which hitherto was struggling, has reportedly achieved progress in some key areas of the business, setting it on a path to operational and financial stability.
According to report by Esi Africa, the company’s earnings, before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased to R28.1 billion from R26.4 billion in September 2019.
Eskom recorded a net profit, after tax, of R83 million while navigating a very challenging operating environment.
Revenue grew to R108.7 billion compared to R107.5 billion in the same period last year, marking an increase of 1.1 percent.
South Africa: Eskom Sacks 2000 Workers In Ten MonthsSales volumes fell 10.3 percent in the period as a result of the COVID-19 national lockdown that took effect in March 2020. Employee benefit costs and other operating expenses were well contained with employee benefit costs marginally increasing to R16.7 billion, compared to R16.4 billion in September 2019. In its attempts to rein in costs, Eskom relied mainly on natural attrition and voluntary separation packages for managerial staff to reduce headcount, and there were no salary increases or incentive bonuses for managerial level staff. Primary energy costs rose to R54.3 billion in the period, versus R52 billion in the same period last year, a 4.4 percent increase. Eskom has redoubled its efforts to curb coal costs, which remained relatively manageable, with an increase of only 4.6 percent in the average purchase cost per ton of coal compared to 14.2 percent in September 2019. However, Eskom and IPP open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) were utilised frequently to support a strained power system. The Eskom OCGT’s generated 496GWh at a cost of R1.4 billion in the period, an increase from the R1.1 billion spent on 331GWh during the same period last year. Eskom’s Chief Financial Officer, Calib Cassim said: “Despite having achieved 48 percent of our funding requirements during the period under review, our access to funding in both domestic and foreign markets remains constrained due owing to low investor confidence as a result of poor financial performance, saturated borrowing capacity and the recent rating downgrades.” The utility’s CFO added: “These factors have a direct effect on market appetite and Eskom’s future cost of borrowing and may hinder execution of our borrowing programme. Eskom will however continue to explore all avenues.” Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: Volvo Engineer To Promote Clean Energy
Volvo Construction Equipment Diagnostic Engineer, Dr Elisabeth Källström, has launched ‘Clean Air for Africa’ initiative, aimed at creating awareness and advocacy to promote renewable energy, proper waste management and legislation around emissions levels in Nigeria and other African countries.
Källström, in a statement issued on Monday, said research showed that there was no strict legislation across African countries guiding, regulating or checking emissions from vehicles and generator engines.
She emphasised the need to replace dirty generators with clean solar power, saying the initiative would bring about the installation of free solar panels in various communities to create mini-grids of cleaner and more sustainable power.
She disclosed that she was also working on three different air quality research projects through two Nigerian universities, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
“The focus of the research is on measuring air quality from vehicle emissions, in the classroom and in the outdoors,” Källström said.
Källström said she had had discussions with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Environment to help put together emission legislation for Nigeria and that she was also setting up the Air Quality Society of Africa with professors in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya, and two doctors in Nigeria.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
IEA Projects A Global Crude Oversupply Through 2021
The crude-oil glut left behind by the pandemic will clear by the end of next year, as markets face a gradual recovery marked by renewed strains on demand, the International Energy Agency has said.
“Demand is clearly going to be lower for longer than expected” when the virus emerged in the spring, the agency said in a report, trimming forecasts for world fuel consumption following a new wave of lockdowns. “The market remains fragile,” it warned.
In Europe, a tentative recovery is reversing, with fuel consumption down this quarter amid a surge of Covid-19 infections and measures to control the spread of the virus.
Still, as the world economy picks up again and the OPEC+ coalition keeps a tight rein on supplies, the IEA expects that bloated crude inventories will subside in the coming 12 months. Oil prices are already reflecting some of that optimism, having reached a nine-month high above $51 a barrel in London last week.
Global tanks will hold 625 million barrels more crude at the start of 2021 compared with pre-pandemic levels, an overhang that will dissipate by next December, the IEA said.
The Paris-based agency advises major economies on energy policy.
The rebalancing is mostly due to a revival in world fuel consumption, which, despite the latest stresses, remains on track for a vigorous rebound from this year’s historic collapse.
Growth Downgrade
While the IEA lowered projections for global demand growth in 2021 by 110,000 barrels a day — because of sustained pressure on jet fuel and kerosene use — it nonetheless projects a significant jump of 5.7 million a day, or about two-thirds of the amount lost this year.
South Africa Looks To Becoming A Global Gas Market PlayerConsumption will average 96.9 million barrels a day in 2021. Purchases of gasoline and diesel will be “particularly strong,” returning to about 99% of pre-crisis levels. In addition to resurgent demand, the world oil market is also being healed by the efforts of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, a group of producers led by Saudi Arabia and Russia. The 23-nation network has made vast production cutbacks to offset the slump in consumption, and earlier this month agreed to scale back plans for restoring the idled supply. The group will carefully stagger the return of 2 million daily barrels in the coming months, beginning with a 500,000-barrel increment in January. “The current deal is flexible and sophisticated, and shows that they are concerned about the short-term fragility of the market,” Neil Atkinson, head of the IEA’s oil markets and industry division, said. “There is not much headroom for them to supply more oil than they currently anticipate.”
Ghana: Second GOIL-CIMG Entrepreneurship Awards Held In Ho
The second edition of the Ho Technical University GOIL – CIMG Entrepreneurial Marketing and Innovation Awards has been held in Ho in the Volta Region of the Republic of Ghana with Miss Evelyn Benyiwaa Yankson, emerging Winner.
Miss Yankson, an immediate past student of Hospitality and Tourism Management beat off competition from six other student entrepreneurs in a business pitching competition assessed by a 5-member panel with expertise in business management, marketing and entrepreneurship.
The award was jointly instituted by GOIL and the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG) in March 2019, and aimed at empowering the youth in local entrepreneurial developments and initiatives among tertiary institutions in the country.
The Head of Corporate Affairs Director, at GOIL, Marcus Deo Dake, expressed excitement about the enthusiasm and level of seriousness Ho Technical University attaches to the award scheme.
He noted HTU is the only technical university implementing and utilizing the funds allocated for the scheme.
He also commended the University management for sustaining the initiative and assured them of GOIL’s continuous support during the period of the sponsorship.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ben Q. Honyenuga, urged students and participants to strive for excellence in their fields of endeavours and expressed his gratitude to the sponsors of the award for their commitment to supporting the HTU project to realize its objectives.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Kenya: Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund Launches Results Based Financing Programme For Clean Energy Companies
The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) has launched a Results Based Financing Programme aimed at unlocking new markets for clean energy companies in Kenya.
The US$ 4 million programme will support commercially viable companies establish new markets and accelerate access to clean energy for 87,000 unserved and underserved households in Kenya. Companies will be awarded funding of up to US$ 500,000 at contracting, with a flexible reallocation system to allow companies that exceed their milestone targets to increase their funding cap to US$1 million.
“Off-grid energy sector continues to require investment if we are to make notable progress in improving access to affordable and clean energy. We are excited to be launching the REACT RBF programme through which we seek to provide results-based incentives for companies that are increasing access for unserved and underserved communities. Energy access remains critical for a sustainable post COVID-19 recovery and we see REACT RBF helping companies to withstand the Covid-19 effects, recover, and come out stronger on the other side,” Victoria Sabula, Chief Executive Officer of AECF said.
The REACT RBF programme will be rolled out in Kenya given the country has a relatively advanced clean energy market compared to other Sub Saharan countries.
According to GOGLA country brief, as at June 2019, 4.1M people in Kenya live with improved energy access and 3.5M still without power.
The programme funded by the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) will provide funding to companies in Kenya incentivising them to reach more energy poor households and substantially increase their access to clean energy. The RBF projects are expected to be implemented over a 2.5-year period running from July 2021 to December 2023.
The AECF continues to be a leader in supporting the scaling up of clean energy companies in Africa, particularly in Kenya to reach off-grid communities and substantially increase clean energy access for poor households. Improvement of access to reliable and affordable energy is critical for the reduction of poverty and enhancement of quality of life for remote and low-income communities.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Libya: Government Denies Gasoline Shortage
The Libyan government recognized by the UN has told Libyans not to panic and queue at gasoline stations in the country because there is enough supply of fuel, Libya Herald reported on Monday.
In recent days, people have been queuing at gasoline stations due to rumors about shortages, but the country’s Interior Ministry said that a fuel tanker carrying 35 million liters of fuel had recently arrived at the port of Tripoli.
Fuel supplies to gasoline stations across Libya have already started, and the stations will work around the clock, the ministry added, as carried by Libya Herald.
Brega Oil Marketing Company said this weekend that the Anwar Africa tanker had arrived at the port of Tripoli, according to The Libya Observer.
The fuel marketing company said that there was sufficient supply of both gasoline and diesel and that people shouldn’t pay attention to rumors about an imminent shortage of fuel.
Libya: Total Bets Big On Libya’s Oil IndustryRumors about a fuel crunch come just as Libya had managed to restore its crude oil production back to the levels last seen in January this year, before the eight-month-long blockade of the ports and oilfields. Libya’s crude oil production has already returned to 1.25million bpd, the level the OPEC member exempted from the OPEC+ cuts was pumping before the port blockade in January. The faster-than-expected increase in Libyan oil production is giving OPEC and its allies in the OPEC+ group another issue to discuss at their monthly meetings that will be held starting in January, on top of the outlook for oil demand early next year. OPEC’s crude output jumped in November by 750,000bpd, with Libya accounting for most of that increase, according to the monthly Reuters survey. Earlier this month, Libya’s UN-recognized government said that an urgent meeting of all stakeholders involved had agreed to work toward unfreezing Libya’s oil revenues, an essential part of the OPEC member’s budget income. Source: www.Oilprice.com
India: Consumers To Pay More For Fuel
Steeper fuel price hikes await Indian consumers as international crude oil rates have crossed $50 a barrel for the first time since March on global demand recovery.
Rising crude oil prices push up rates of refined products such as petrol and diesel, which have already risen by Rs 2.6 per litre and Rs 3.4 per litre, respectively, in three weeks in the domestic market.
Since the beginning of November, crude oil prices have risen about $11 a barrel, or 28%, to $50 a barrel mainly on hopes that a quick vaccine roll-out across nations could help contain the coronavirus and its damaging impact on fuel demand. Some countries have already approved vaccines while others are considering such requests from pharma companies.
An oil demand pickup is showing up in India too with petrol sales rising above pre-covid levels.
The demand for diesel and jet fuel has also vastly improved since April but is still lower than last year’s. Refinery runs have also recovered with facilities at Indian Oil, the nation’s largest refiner, running at full capacity.
Nigeria To Lose $24bn Oil, Gas Investments In Six Years –ReportRising international rates have forced state oil companies to raise domestic fuel prices. Petrol now costs Rs 83.71 per litre in Delhi, just a tad lower than the record rate of Rs 84 per litre registered on October 4, 2018. Diesel is selling for Rs 73.87 per litre. In Mumbai, petrol and diesel cost Rs 90.34 and Rs 80.51 a litre, respectively. Rates have been static for the past four days after rising almost daily since November 20. State oil companies are expected to daily revise domestic rates of petrol and diesel to align them with international rates. But in 2020 companies haven’t quite followed this, keeping rates static for weeks and months, making domestic price predictions harder. Domestic prices are near-record levels also because of steep rise in taxes.