The Head of Corporate Communication and External Affairs at Ghana’s Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company Limited, Marlick Adjei has refuted media report suggesting that the company’s depot at Buipe in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region of the West African nation is under fire.
Some online portal claimed that the West African nation’s strategic oil storage company’s depot at Buipe was in flames.
However, Head of Communication for the company Marlick Adjei who confirmed the outbreak of fire near the company’s depot, explained that it is rather five fuel tankers belonging to some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) which were parked near the depot which caught fire and got burnt into ashes.
It is not clear what triggered the fire.
Marlick Adjei told energynewsafrica.com that fire service personnel who were called to the scene managed to bring the fire under control some few hours ago.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced a decline of 81% in the number of pipeline vandalism incidences in the course of its operations in October last year.
The corporation, in its latest financial and operations report, stated that, in October 2019, 35 vandalised-pipeline points, representing a decrease of 81 per cent from the 186 vandalized-points in September 2019, were recorded.
NNPC said out of the vandalised points, eight failed to be welded, while only one pipeline was ruptured, with Ibadan-Ilorin axis accounting for 34 per cent of the breaks, while ATC-Mosimi and other routes accounted for 23 per cent and 43 per cent, respectively.
The corporation, in the report, also announced a trading surplus of ₦13.23billion in October 2019, representing an increase of 54 percent vis-à-vis the ₦8.59billion surplus posted in September last year.
The NNPC explained that the figures reflected the sustained streak of positive results in the operations of the national oil company.
To underline the increasing fortunes of the corporation in recent times, the September 2019 trading surplus of ₦8.59billion in turn, indicated a significant increase of 65 per cent compared to the ₦5.20billion surplus posted in August 2019, even as that beat the ₦4.26billion surplus posted in July 2019, reflecting an increase of 22 per cent.
The NNPC said the increase of 54 per cent trading surplus in October 2019 accounts of the corporation was mainly attributable to improved trading surplus posted by its flagship Upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
Credit:shipsandports.com.ng
Information available to energynewsafrica.com indicates that Mr. Herbert Ato Morrison has been appointed as Acting Managing Director of Ghana’s only refinery, Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).
Ato Morrison replaces the immediate past Managing Director, Isaac Osei, a former MP for Subin and former CEO of COCOBOD.
Isaac Osei resigned from his post last month after managing TOR for almost three years.
An internal memo signed by Jane Ohenewa Gyekye (Mrs.), who is a General Manager (HR&Admin), and sighted by energynewsafrica.com, reads: “This is to inform all members of staff that upon the exit of the substantive Managing Director, Mr Isaac Osei, the Board of Directors has appointed Mr. Herbert Ato Morrison, General Manager (Technical Services), to act as Managing Director until further notice.
“All members of staff are entreated to give him the necessary co-operation.”
Experience of Mr Herbert Morrison General Manager Technical ServicesCompany NameTema Oil Refinery (TOR)Dates Employed Dec 2018 – PresentEmployment Duration 1 yr 2 monthsLocation Tema Industrial AreaCompany Name Tema oil RefineryTotal Duration 29 yrs 8 monthsTitle General Manager (Maintenance)
Dates Employed Oct 2012 – Nov 2018
Employment Duration6 yrs 2 months
To ensure that Plant Machinery and Equipment of the company are reliable and available for continuous operation of TOR through their proper maintenance.
Title Mechanical Works Manager
Dates Employed Dec 2010 – Sep 2012
Employment Duration1 yr 10 months
Title Maintenance Planning Manager
Dates Employed Nov 2009 – Dec 2011
Employment Duration 2 yrs 2 months
Title RFCC Plant Manager
Dates Employed Oct 2008 – Nov 2009
Employment Duration 1 yr 2 months
Title Hydro Skimming Manager
Dates Employed Jan 2007 – Sep 2008
Employment Duration 1 yr 9 months
Location Tema
Title Refinery Shift Manager
Dates Employed Jan 2005 – Jan 2007
Employment Duration2 yrs 1 months
Location Tema
Title Training Manager
Dates Employed Jan 2004 – Dec 2004
Employment Duration 12 months
Title Refinery Shift Manager
Dates Employed Jan 1997 – Dec 2003
Employment Duration 7 yrs.
Location Tema
Title Hydro Skimming Unit Supervisor
Dates Employed Jan 1991 – Dec 1996
Employment Duration6 yrs
Location Tema
Title DCS Boardman (PRF&TOPPING UNIT)
Dates Employed Apr 1990 – Dec 1990
Employment Duration9 months
Location Tema
Title Senior Operator (PRF& TOPPING UNIT)
Dates Employed Dec 1989 – Mar 1990
Employment Duration4 months
Location Tema
Title Pump operator (PRF& TOPPING UNIT)
Dates Employed Aug 1989 – Nov 1989
Employment Duration4 months
Location Tema
Title Furnance operator (PRF& TOPPING UNIT)
Dates Employed Apr 1989 – Jul 1989
Employment Duration 4 months
Location Tema
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Tullow Oil plc (Tullow) has announced oil discovery at its Carapa-1 exploration well, offshore Guyana.
Tullow said preliminary results of drilling, wireline logging, pressure testing and sampling of reservoir fluid indicated the discovery of oil in Upper Cretaceous age sandstone reservoirs.
Rig site testing has indicated that the oil is 27 degrees API with a sulphur content of less than 1%. A detailed laboratory analysis of the oil quality will follow in due course.
The Carapa oil discovery suggests the extension of the Cretaceous oil play from the Stabroek license southwards into the Kanuku license. While net pay is lower than pre-drill forecasts, the 27 degree API oil supports the significant potential of the Cretaceous play on both the Kanuku and adjacent Orinduik licences.
“The Valaris EXL II jack-up rig drilled the Carapa-1 well to a Total Depth of 3,290 metres in 68 metres of water and the well will now be plugged and abandoned. Repsol Exploracion Guyana, S.A. is the operator of the Kanuku block with a 37.5% stake,” a press release posted on the company’s website said.
Tullow Guyana B.V. also holds a 37.5% stake with Total E&P Guyana B.V. holding the remaining 25%.
Mark MacFarlane, Chief Operating Officer, commenting today said: “The Carapa-1 result is an important exploration outcome with positive implications for both the Kanuku and Orinduik blocks. While net pay and reservoir development at this location are below our pre-drill estimates, we are encouraged to find good quality oil which proves the extension of the prolific Cretaceous play into our acreage. We will now integrate the results of the three exploration wells drilled in these adjacent licences into our Guyana and Suriname geological and geophysical models before deciding the future work programme.”
About 66 barrels of petrol and diesel have been burnt in Tolon, in the Northern Region of the Republic of Ghana, on the New Year’s Day, energynewsafrica.com can report.
The fire that destroyed the fuel products reportedly occurred at a wayside fuel station in the area.
According to reports, a fuel attendant was filling the tank of a customer when one jerrycan caught fire and begun to burn other barrels that were packed at the place.
It is not clear whether the fuel station where the fire occurred is authorised or not.
However, Martina Bugri, a Northern Regional correspondent of Accra-based Joy FM, who reported the incident on a sister station, Adom FM, explained that “there is only one filling station that I know. The rest are all wayside table top fuel dealers. If you look at this one, where the fire started, the owner has developed the place so it will look like a filling station.”
According to the reporter, the owner of the place explained that the facility had not been insured but was quick to add that she (reporter) did not enquire whether the station had been given an operational license or not.
The fire also resulted in the destruction of five houses and two stores in the process.
Martina Bugri said the incident happened in the afternoon of the New Year’s Day, and reported that the fire service personnel in the area managed to bring the inferno under control before dusk.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
The Institute for Energy Security (IES), an energy think tank in the Republic of Ghana has predicted a marginal rise in prices of petroleum products in the early part of 2020.
However, IES believes the rise could be averted if the West African nation’s downstream petroleum regulator, NPA, applies the price stabilisation recovery levy.
“Taking into consideration the 4.07% increment in prices of Crude oil as well 4.59% and 5.05% increment in the prices of Gasoil and Gasoline on the international market respectively; the Institute for Energy Security (IES) foresees prices of fuel on the local market potentially increasing marginally despite the cedi recording some marginal gains against the dollar within the period.
“However, the increases could be averted or its impacts minimized if the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) applies the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy, (PSRL),” a statement by IES said.
EXPECT FUEL PRICES TO GO UP IN THE NEW YEARREVIEW OF DECEMBER 2019 SECOND PRICING-WINDOWLocal Fuel Market Performance
Prices of petroleum products remained largely stable as predicted by the Institute for Energy Security (IES) in the Pricing-window under review. Fuel prices within the second Pricing-window of December 2019 saw majority of the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) maintaining the prices of Gasoline and Gasoil unchanged. The current national average price of fuel per litre at the pump is pegged at GH¢5.36 for both Gasoline and Gasoil.
For the Pricing-window under review, Zen Petroleum, Benab Oil, Pacific, SO Energy and Alinco Oil sold the least-priced Gasoline and Gasoil on the local market relative to others in the industry, according to IES Market-scan.
World Oil Market
Crude oil prices continue to remain above the $60-dollar margin for this window as an Analyst Poll by the Wall Street Journal suggested prices will remain relatively stable at current levels at least during the first quarter of the New Year despite OPEC’s deeper production cuts. The overall sentiment on oil prices seems to be leaning towards the bearish. On Average, Brent crude rose marginally from $62.87 per barrel to close at $65.43 per barrel; thus recording an increased change of 4.07%
According to Standard and Poor’s Global Platts benchmark for fuels, Average Gasoline Price increased by 5.05% to close at $620.11 per metric tonne, from a previous average of $590.32 per metric tonne; while Gasoil increased by 4.59% to close trading at $607.34 per metric tonne from a previous $580.70 per metric tonne.
Local Forex
Data collated by IES Economic Desk from the Foreign Exchange market show the Cedi made some very marginal gains against the US Dollar within the period, after showing weakness in the previous window. The Cedi traded at an average price of Ghs5.65 to the US Dollar over the period under review, from a rate of Ghs5.71 recorded in the second window of December 2019. The rate of appreciation recorded against the US Dollar is 1.05%.
PROJECTIONS FOR JANUARY 2020 FIRST PRICING-WINDOW
Taking into consideration the 4.07% increment in prices of Crude oil as well 4.59% and 5.05% increment in the prices of Gasoil and Gasoline on the international market respectively; the Institute for Energy Security (IES) foresees prices of fuel on the local market potentially increasing marginally despite the cedi recording some marginal gains against the dollar within the period. However the increases could be averted or its impacts minimized if the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) applies the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy (PSRL).
Signed:
Raymond Nuworkpor
Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Energy in charge of Petroleum, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam has commissioned an electrification project in Nyariga-Goone in the Bolga Municipality and streetlights project in Bongo, both in the Upper East Region.
The project is to ensure that an ICT centre built in Nyariga-Goone becomes operational and a basket weaving done at night by the hard working women in the community is improved.
The Deputy Minister, who is also the parliamentary candidate of the governing party for the Karaga Constituency, announced the commissioning of the two projects on his Facebook wall.
Full post
“Goodbye to 2019 on this positive note. 2020 will be greater!
“Wishing my friends here a Happy, Prosperous and Fulfilling New Year! commissioning of electrification project in Nyariga-Goone in the Bolga Municipality and streetlights project in Bongo both in the Upper East Region.
“The project ensures that an ICT centre built in Nyariga-Goone becomes operational; and basket weaving done at night by the hard working women in the community is improved.
“Wishing my friends here a Happy, Prosperous and Fulfilling New Year!”
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
US oil and gas giant, ExxonMobil has announced that it has secured more than 1.7 million acres for exploration offshore Egypt, strengthening its portfolio in the eastern
The acquisition includes acreage in the 1.2 million North Marakia Offshore block, which is located approximately five miles offshore Egypt’s northern coast in the Herodotus basin.
The remaining 543,000 acres is in the North East El Amriya Offshore block in the Nile Delta, a press release posted on the company’s website said.
According to ExxonMobil, it will operate both blocks and hold 100 percent interest.
Operations, including acquisition of seismic data, are scheduled to begin in 2020.
“ExxonMobil has been a partner in Egypt’s growth for more than 115 years, and these awards reaffirm our commitment to pursuing high-quality opportunities in the country,” Hesham Elamroussy, chairman and managing director of ExxonMobil Egypt said.
The awards add upstream interests to ExxonMobil’s long-standing downstream presence in Egypt, where it has been a leading fuels, lubricants and specialties marketer since 1902.
About ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international energy company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world’s growing energy needs. ExxonMobil is a global leader in LNG project execution and holds an industry-leading inventory of resources, is one of the largest refiners and marketers of petroleum products, and its chemical company is one of the largest in the world. For more information, visit www.exxonmobil.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/exxonmobil.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
Saudi Aramco is one of the largest oil producers in the world. Officially based in Dhahran, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it has an estimated 270 billion barrels in its reserves. It is also the second largest daily producer of oil in the world. While Saudi Aramco might have been beaten to the first place in terms of daily oil production, it is by far the most profitable company in the world.
Transformation Over the YearsSaudi Aramco was created after an agreement between California-based Socal and Saudi Arabia in 1933. Like many agreements granted to large British and US oil companies during that period, this agreement gave Saudi Aramco the exclusive rights to exploration and extraction of oil on Saudi territory. Over the next decades, the company underwent rapid expansion across Saudi Arabia.
In 1973, a 25% stake in Aramco was purchased by the Saudi Arabian government, which by the late 1970s increased to 100%. The 1980s saw the official establishment of the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco). In recent years, large investments have been made by the company in crude-to-chemicals and non-metallic products.
The current president and CEO of Saudi Aramco is Amin H. Nasser. In 2016, Khalid Al-Falih, chairman of Aramco, was appointed as the energy minister of the kingdom.
A Global Operation
Although Saudi Aramco is officially based in Dhahran, its operations span across the globe and include refining, chemicals, exploration, production, marketing and distribution. All the activities are regulated by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, along with the Supreme Council for Petroleum and Minerals.
EXPLORATION
A majority of the workforce of this company is made up of geophysicists and geologists. A large percentage of the exploration the company undertakes occurs at the EXPEC Advanced Research Centre. A supercomputing system with a storage capacity of 1,050 terabytes is used by Saudi Aramco for the purposes of exploring the frontier areas and the Red Sea.
REFINING AND CHEMICALS
The current refining capacity of Saudi Aramco is 5.4 million barrels per day. The downstream operations of the company are now focused on the integration of refineries with the petrochemical facilities. Their first joint venture in this field is with Petro Rabigh.
SHIPPING
Several tankers are employed by Saudi Aramco for the purpose of shipping crude oil, natural gas, and refined oil to various countries. A subsidiary company, Vela International Marine, has been created for the purposes of handling shipping to North America, Europe and Asia.
What Happened In The Saudi Aramco 2019 Attack?
On September 14, 2019, at around 4:00 am Saudi Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3), massive fires were reported at the Abqaiq oil processing facility and the Khurais oil field. Later, Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry revealed that the fires were caused by a drone attack, launched on the two Saudi Aramco plants, taking out 5.7 million barrels per day of crude oil. According to Saudi Aramco, the attack occurred in at least two waves. In total, 25 missiles and drones were used in the attack that forced Saudi Arabia to cut its oil production by half.
YEMEN’S CIVIL WAR AND IRAN
A few hours after the destruction of the plants, the Houthi movement in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack. According to US officials, there were 19 points of impact from the cruise missiles and drones. Repeated attacks have been launched by the Houthis using rockets, missiles and drones on densely populated areas. These attacks resulted in the death of 4 people. Despite the Houthi claims, both the US and Saudi Arabia believe that Iran is the real perpetrator of the attack.
There is a long and bitter history of conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The main reason for the present conflict can be traced back to the 1980s, when a pro-Western leader in Iran was toppled and Shia religious authorities took over in the country. Iran started to back Shia militias and parties abroad, while Riyadh backed Sunni loyalties. There have been many boiling points between the two countries ever since, such as the death of Iranian pilgrims in Mecca in July 1987 and the backing of the Saddam Hussain government by Saudi Arabia.
A GLOBAL RIPPLE EFFECT
The drone attacks on Saudi Aramco have impacted the global economy. In just a short time after the attack, the price of crude oil jumped 15%. Almost 5% of the global supply was knocked out by the attacks on the two sites. In fact, the attack resulted in the biggest one-day disruption to oil output.
Leaders of countries across the globe expressed concern over the attacks. Russia’s foreign ministry expressed grave concerns regarding the attack on oil facilities. The trade minister of Japan, Isshu Sugawara, said that he would be watching for a possible impact on oil supply. China’s foreign ministry also expressed concern regarding the unfortunate events that impacted Saudi Aramco.
Saudi Arabia Still Went Forward With Its Online Visa Application Process
Just two weeks after the attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, for which Houthi rebels claimed responsibility, the kingdom announced its plans to launch an online visa. With the aim of making tourism the pillar of its economy, tourist visas were issued to a range of nationalities for the first time.
OPENING UP THE BORDERS
The tourism chief of the kingdom said in a statement, “Opening Saudi Arabia to international tourists is a historic moment for our country.” He went on to add, “Visitors will be surprised by the treasures we have to share — five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a vibrant local culture and breathtaking natural beauty.” Online tourist visa applications for citizens of 49 countries have been launched by Saudi Arabia. The visa allows tourists to stay for up to 3 months per entry. The visa allows visitors to spend 90 days per year in the country.
Vision 2030
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shakes hands with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud following the signing by President Donald Trump and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia of the Joint Strategic Vision Statement for the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during ceremonies, Saturday, May 20, 2017, at the Royal Court Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Official White House Photo Shealah Craighead)
The push for tourism comes as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform program to prepare the Saudi economy for the post crude oil era. As part of the Vision 2030 Agenda, the kingdom aims to expand the contribution of tourism to its economy. While the tourism industry currently contributes only 3% to the economy, the goal is to drive it contribute 10% by 2030.
Another part of the 2030 Agenda is to increase the number of annual domestic and international visitors to Saudi Arabia to 100 million. The current Saudi tourism industry primarily depends on religious pilgrims, who visit the kingdom for Hajj. The number of religious tourists is also expected to rise to 30 million by 2030.
PREPARING FOR TOURISTS
The kingdom’s tourism chief stated that Saudi Arabia plans to relax the strict dress code for foreign women. The kingdom plans to allow female tourists to move around without wearing the body-shrouding abaya robe, which is still compulsory for Saudi women, when going out in public.
Saudi Arabia also has planned a multi-billion-dollar project for turning around 50 islands in the Red Sea into luxury resorts. The construction of a $500 billion futuristic city, NEOM, along with Qiddiya, 25 miles outside Riyadh, is also underway. Six Flags is the first international theme park operator involved in the Qiddiya project. The operator is planning to build the fastest and tallest roller coaster in the world here.
The Usual Visa Application Process Still Applies For Business Travellers
Despite the drone attacks on the Abqaiq oil processing facility and the Khurais oil field, Saudi Arabia remains focussed on its Vision 2030 plans. One of them is to promote trade. Saudi Arabia is the 26th largest export economy on the planet and the 29th most complex economy, according The Observatory of Economic Complexity. While exporting oil and petroleum products, the country imports items like packaged medicaments, broadcasting equipment and cars.
For people who wish to visit the kingdom to conduct business, the normal visa application process still applies. This means that the process of applying for a Saudi business visa for UK nationals also remains the same. The country remains fully focussed on improving its trade.
APPLICATION PROCESS FOR A BUSINESS VISA
The application process for a business visa for Saudi Arabia is as follows:
Comprehensive Application Process:After you have collected all the necessary documents, the first step for a Saudi visa is to download the comprehensive application process from the Rapid Visa website.
Confirmation of Processing Time:Next, you need to choose the processing time, based on the options provided in online order form, to confirm your application.
Pre-Checking:All documents are pre-checked by us, free of cost, to ensure that there are no nasty surprises or delays for the applicant.
Document Delivery:After this, you need to send the completed application form to us in London, using Royal Mail Special Delivery, courier services or by delivering it in person.
Application Processing: After receiving your documentation, we immediately start the processing of your application.
Tracking Information:After the documentation is set out, you will also be provided the necessary tracking information to monitoring the progress of your application.
Notification of Issuance: After the visa has been issued, you will be contacted and notified straight away by one of our representatives.
WHICH COUNTRIES STILL HAVE RESTRICTIONS?
Saudi Arabia once used to have one of the most restrictive visa policies in the world. But, with the aim of making Saudi Arabia a hotspot for tourism and trade by 2030, the policies have been relaxed. eVisa on arrival is now issued to citizens of 52 countries. That being said, there are still certain restrictions for citizens of certain countries.
VISA REQUIRED
Citizens of Iran and Yemen can travel to Saudi Arabia as tourists, but they require a visa. The stay must not be longer than 30 days. It is also important that the applicant is present while applying for the visa. There are a total 5 forms that need to be filled for the Saudi Arabia visa.
RESTRICTED ENTRY
Citizens of Israel are not permitted entry into Saudi Arabia. However, being Jewish or having an Israeli stamp on your passport no longer preclude you from getting a Saudi visa. These factors are no longer disqualifying, since the relaxation of the visa norms in October 2019.
After the breakdown of diplomatic ties with Qatar, citizens of this country are no longer permitted entry into Saudi Arabia. Before the severance of ties, Qatari citizens didn’t even need a visa to enter the kingdom. Now, citizens of Qatar can only enter Saudi Arabia for the purposes of Hajj.
Safety Travel Advice For Visitors
Although Saudi Arabia is quite a safe country, there are some precautions that foreign travellers should keep in mind. Here are some tips that can help you make your travel safe.
POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS
It is illegal to hold demonstrations in Saudi Arabia. It is a good idea to follow the local media and stay informed about regional and local developments that could result in public disturbances. Despite warnings by the authorities, protests do take place in the country, from time to time, mostly in the Shia-dominated Qatif area of the Eastern Province, including Al Musawara village in Al-Awamiya, and Al Hasa. Many violent clashes have occurred during such protests.
Due to security concerns in this area, it is advisable to only travel during the daytime in this region. In case of any security operations, it is best to follow the instructions issued by the security forces and leave the area immediately.
LOCAL TRAVEL
A 20 km zone, the border in the Hafr Al-Batin and Khafji areas in the Eastern Province, and the entire northern border of the country have been declared out of bounds by the Saudi authorities. Violators can be punished with a fine of SAR25,000 and imprisonment of 30 months. Land border crossings stay open and the Saudi authorities has announced that signs are being placed across various areas to inform people about the specific places where vehicles are allowed to cross the border.
THE SAUDI-YEMEN BORDER
All travel within 10 km of Saudi Arabia’s border from Yemen is discouraged by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. One should only travel, if absolutely necessary, between 20 to 80 km of this border. On request for support from President Hadi, Saudi forces, along with their allies, have been conducting air strikes in Yemen since 2015. Missiles, drone attacks and water borne IEDs continue to be launched into Saudi Arabian territory from Yemen. In case of any incident, it is advisable to remain indoors, follow the local news, and check for any instructions issued by the authorities.
THE SAUDI-IRAQ BORDER
Great care must be taken while visiting areas close to the Saudi-Iraq border too. In 2015, clashes close to the Arar crossing point resulted in the death of 3 Saudi Arabian border guards.
ADDITIONAL SAFETY TIPS
There are many items that are restricted in Saudi Arabia, such as alcohol and drugs. Alcohol is illegal and forbidden across the country. However, within residential complexes for expats and foreign citizens, things are a bit more lenient. Those caught distilling or smuggling alcohol in large quantities are bound to be prosecuted under Saudi law. One should also be cautious of Arak, a local brew. Apart from being illegal, it is extremely strong and can contain impurities, such as methanol.
Photography is also a sensitive topic in Saudi Araba. If you feel there is something you should not be taking pictures of, then stop. It is also best to avoid taking photos of government buildings, such as ministry buildings, airports and military facilities.
You should also carry personal identification with you at all times. It is a common practice for the police and other security personnel to check for identification at various checkpoints.
Conclusion
The devastating attacks on the Saudi Arabian oil refineries forced the country to close half of its total oil production. However, the kingdom did not let these attacks to divert it from its vision for the future. Saudi Arabia stayed strong and rolled out a revised and more lenient tourist visa policy. The aim was to encourage tourists from across the globe to visit the kingdom and experience the diverse and wonderful culture, landscapes and historic sites this country has to offer.
The policy for business visa has also not changed. Saudi Arabia is focused on promoting business and trade. If you have any queries or want advice regarding the Saudi visa or eVisa, do not hesitate to visit our site or contact us directly.
Source:www.saudiarabiavisa.co.uk/
The Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) is currently implementing US$2.6 billion worth of projects expected to boost Iran’s offshore oil production by 85,000 barrels per day (bpd), Oilprice.com reported Monday.
According to the portal, the Iranian state-held offshore oil firm has awarded various projects to Iranian service contractors, Alireza Salman-Zadeh.
The contracts include work on drilling, completion, and repair of 40 wells, as well as the construction and installation of wellhead equipment and five offshore platforms.
Work is being done to boost oil production at the Siri field in the Persian Gulf under a contract with an Iranian company.
Considering that Iran’s oil, shipping, and financial industries are under strict U.S. sanctions, Iran’s efforts to keep or increase its offshore oil production can be done only in contracts with domestic firms right now, because foreign firms fled Iran after the U.S. slapped back sanctions in May 2018.
Western majors such as Total were the first to quit Iran after the sanctions, but earlier this year even China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) withdrew from the development of Phase 11 of the giant South Pars natural gas field, in a major blow to Iran’s oil and gas industry.
The U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil industry and exports have significantly cut Iranian oil exports over the past year, as the United States ended in May 2019 all waivers for all of Iran’s oil buyers and is going after anyone dealing with Iranian oil.
Iran continues to export oil, especially to China, but it has drastically increased the secrecy of how it ships that oil abroad and says that it is using every means possible to export its crude.
Meanwhile, crude oil production in Iran—once OPEC’s third-largest producer before the U.S. sanctions kicked in—dropped by another 45,000 bpd to average just 2.102 million bpd in November, according to OPEC’s latest data. To compare, Iran’s crude oil production averaged 3.813 million bpd in 2017.
An offshore worker was injured in an incident aboard Suncor Energy’s Terra Nova floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel offshore Canada on Sunday, December 29, 2019, offshoreenergytoday.com has reported.
The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) said on Monday that a worker on the Terra Nova FPSO was injured after falling from a ladder while conducting gas testing.
According to the C-NLOPB, the offshore medic and emergency response team were called to the scene. The injured worker has since been transferred to St. John’s by medevac and is currently in the hospital under medical care.
It is worth noting that an order to suspend production related operations on the Terra Nova FPSO had been previously issued by the C-NLOPB on December 19, 2019, in response to another issue.
Namely, the regulator’s chief safety officer (CSO) determined at the time that Suncor was not compliant with regulatory requirements to maintain and comprehensively inspect equipment critical in the safe operation of the installation, to ensure repairs are carried out in a timely manner, and to ensure that mitigation measures are effective in minimizing hazards.
Specifically, the CSO has found that those requirements have not been met with respect to the availability of redundant fire water pump systems onboard the installation.
C-NLOPB also added on Monday that this worker injury occurred during safety-focused operations and was not included in the scope of suspended activity.
The C-NLOPB is reviewing this incident, along with others that have recently taken place on facilities operated by Suncor Energy in the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area.
Production-related operations remain suspended on the Terra Nova FPSO and will not resume until Suncor Energy has received approval from the C-NLOPB.
Discovered in 1984, the Terra Nova oil field was the second to be developed on the Grand Banks offshore Newfoundland. Production from the field began in 2002, using the Terra Nova FPSO.
In May 2019, Suncor and the Terra Nova joint venture owners sanctioned plans to proceed with a project that will extend the life of the FPSO vessel to approximately 2031.
The asset life extension project is expected to allow the facility to capture approximately 80 million additional barrels of oil for the Terra Nova partnership.
The asset life extension project will take place in 2020.
Ghana’s power transmission company, GRIDCo, has announced plans to restore power supply to the Volta Aluminum Company Limited (VALCO) temporarily following assurances by the latter that it will start paying its US$30 million debt by January 15, 2020.
Officials of VALCO gave the assurance after discussions between them and GRIDCo Monday afternoon.
The power transmission company, on Monday morning, cut power supply to VALCO due to the company’s inability to settle over US$30 million outstanding debt to the power transmitter.
The decision was made by the Management of GRIDCo after several attempts to get VALCO to honour its payment obligations failed.
“The decision to disconnect VALCO is part of ongoing debt collection measures to mobilise the needed funds to support its operations,” a statement by the company said.
The company said its operations were significantly impaired due to huge unpaid debts owed by its bulk customers, currently amounting to over GH¢1.2 billion.
Staff of the company hit the streets of Accra, capital of the West African nation, to protest the failure of ECG, NEDco and VALCO’s inability to pay their huge indebtedness which the workers said had crippled operations of the company.
“We play a critical role in Ghana’s power sector and we need every resource available to us to continue delivering on our mandate to our key stakeholders and clients. VALCO’s debts continue to mount and will create major problems for our operations if nothing is done about it,” CEO of GRIDCo, Ing. Jonathan Amoako-Baah said in the statement.
According to him, “We have been engaging the management of VALCO since the first half of this year to agree on a payment plan but nothing has come out of it. We have been left with no option as our continued state of affairs is unsustainable.
“We take the opportunity to entreat other customers indebted to GRIDCo to take steps to settle their debts,” he concluded.
Ghana’s downstream petroleum regulator, National Petroleum Authority (NPA), on Monday, donated food items, non-food items and an undisclosed amount of money to three institutions in Accra and Tamale.
The donation was part of the Authority’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and after careful and thorough assessments of requests from several institutions, the Authority decided to settle on the three because they are in dire need of support.
At the Tamale Children’s home, for example, the Authority donated food items and money to the home. Joseph Awan, Chairman of the Staff Welfare, led the team.
He said the donation was part of the Authority’s commitment to supporting institutions that are impacting society in the right way.
“I am here on behalf of the Chief Executive, the board and the entire staff of the NPA and we are confident the items will go a long way to help address some of the challenges facing the home,” he said during the donation ceremony.
In Accra, both the Autism Awareness Care and Training and the Dzorwulu Special School were given undisclosed amount of money to help cater for some of their desperate needs.
The autism center, further, received food items including rice, cooking oil and detergents.
The Dzorwulu School received students’ beds, mattresses, plastic chairs and ceiling fans, which are some of their pressing needs.
At the two institutions, the Chief Inspector from NPA, Esther Anku praised the school authorities for their devotion towards the children with ‘special needs’.
They acknowledged the challenge involved but assured them of the Authority’s support towards their work.
“You are doing a very wonderful job and we share in the mission of the center and we have a number of items to donate to the school.”
Mrs. Anku said giving remains an importance part of the Authority’s work culture and as regulator of a sensitive sector like petroleum, they are minded by their CSRs towards those in dire need of assistance.
“Our Chief Executive is committed to this project and our support for the school will continue to come in,” she said at the Dzorwulu Special School.
Madam Serwa Quainoo, who is the administrator of the Autism Center, said autism is more of a communication issue and, therefore, advised the public to be on the look out for potential signs in their children.
She was hopeful that with the right care and support for autistic children, they would be able to live independent lives.Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
Ghana’s power transmission company, GRIDCo, has cut power supply to the Volta Aluminum Company Limited (VALCO) due to the company’s inability to settle over US$30 million outstanding debt to the power transmitter.
The decision was made by the Management of GRIDCo after several attempts to get VALCO to honour its payment obligations failed.
“The decision to disconnect VALCO is part of ongoing debt collection measures to mobilise the needed funds to support its operations,” a statement by the company said.
GRIDCo’s operations have been significantly impaired due to huge unpaid debts owed by its bulk customers, currently amounting to over GH¢1.2 billion.
At its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in November 2019, the company announced that its network expansion efforts had been hampered due to the current financial situation.
Staff of the company hit the streets of Accra, capital of the West African nation, to protest the failure of ECG, NEDco and VALCO’s inability to pay their huge indebtedness which the workers said had crippled operations of the company.
“We play a critical role in Ghana’s power sector and we need every resource available to us to continue delivering on our mandate to our key stakeholders and clients. VALCO’s debts continue to mount and will create major problems for our operations if nothing is done about it,” CEO of GRIDCo, Ing. Jonathan Amoako-Baah said in the statement.
According to him, “We have been engaging the management of VALCO since the first half of this year to agree on a payment plan but nothing has come out of it. We have been left with no option as our continued state of affairs is unsustainable.
“We take the opportunity to entreat other customers indebted to GRIDCo to take steps to settle their debts,” he concluded.
A source at VALCO has confirmed to energynewsafrica.com that their lights have been cut for about an hour now
Source: energynewsafrica.com
It is not clear what triggered the fire.
Marlick Adjei told energynewsafrica.com that fire service personnel who were called to the scene managed to bring the fire under control some few hours ago. 
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com 
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In Accra, both the Autism Awareness Care and Training and the Dzorwulu Special School were given undisclosed amount of money to help cater for some of their desperate needs.
The autism center, further, received food items including rice, cooking oil and detergents.
The Dzorwulu School received students’ beds, mattresses, plastic chairs and ceiling fans, which are some of their pressing needs.
At the two institutions, the Chief Inspector from NPA, Esther Anku praised the school authorities for their devotion towards the children with ‘special needs’.
They acknowledged the challenge involved but assured them of the Authority’s support towards their work.
“You are doing a very wonderful job and we share in the mission of the center and we have a number of items to donate to the school.”
Mrs. Anku said giving remains an importance part of the Authority’s work culture and as regulator of a sensitive sector like petroleum, they are minded by their CSRs towards those in dire need of assistance.
“Our Chief Executive is committed to this project and our support for the school will continue to come in,” she said at the Dzorwulu Special School.
Madam Serwa Quainoo, who is the administrator of the Autism Center, said autism is more of a communication issue and, therefore, advised the public to be on the look out for potential signs in their children.
She was hopeful that with the right care and support for autistic children, they would be able to live independent lives.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
