Virtual pipelines deliver liquefied natural gas (LNG) in compressed tanks by roads, railways and waterways to locations not connected by physical pipelines.
This solution is being increasingly used where distance, terrain and demand do not justify an investment into a national or regional pipeline.
Approximately 44% of Africa is currently off-grid, with rural and remote areas lacking access to power. LNG has the potential to help meet the demand for electrification through small-scale power generation. Virtual pipelines have the potential to innovate the supply chain by tapping into multiple gas sources and distributing LNG regardless of conventional pipeline routes. Infrastructure inflexibility is limiting the possibility of utilising Africa’s abundant natural gas resources to provide new energy supplies to areas where demand is greatest. Virtual pipelines are also a viable option for overpopulated urban locations and for power plants where new pipeline infrastructure would not be feasible, or where demand is too low, or only required for a short period of time.
Virtual pipelines have been praised as an efficient, flexible and cost-effective way of establishing a gas market without significant capital outlay. Alongside reduced maintenance costs – NNPC estimate that they spent over N556 billion (approx. £1.17 billion) on pipeline repairs and maintenance between 2015 and 2019 – virtual pipelines are much quicker to implement and are not subject to project delays or stakeholder abandonment, which often plague traditional pipelines. There are also clear environmental benefits supporting the use of LNG as the cleanest burning fossil fuel, with many of the transportation tanks running off LNG.
It will be interesting to see if the uptake of virtual vs. physical pipelines across Africa gains traction. Globally, Argentina is using virtual pipelines for the Mendoza thermoelectric power plant which is powered entirely by LNG sourced from stranded gas wells and transported via trucks, and in India, ExxonMobil LNG has just signed a letter of cooperation with Chart Industries and Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) to accelerate gas access.
Current physical gas pipeline projects across Africa include:
Tanzania – Kenya Pipeline: this 558km gas pipeline will run from Dar es Salaam to Mombasa via Tanga and will meet a gas demand of 50 MMscfd
Nigeria – Morocco Pipeline: this project is set to involve 15 countries in West Africa and is due to start construction towards the end of 2020. It’s estimated the project will take 25 years to complete.
Richards Bay, South Africa: plans are in place for a LNG import terminal at Richard Bay with an expectation of first gas to land in 2024. Transnet are will repurpose existing pipelines to transport gas between Durban and Johannesburg.
For more on this dynamic topic, join the new Future Energy Series: Africa this November as we discuss “Bridging the Gap: Exploring the pivotal role natural gas and LNG will play in the transition”.
Source: Africa Oil Week
Nigeria may have recorded significant shift in energy consumption pattern with National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, data showing massive drop in kerosene imports while a significant increase has been recorded in diesel import.
According to a report by the Vanguard, the volume of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, importation rose marginally. Industry analysts believe that more consumers of kerosene are now moving to gas while more consumers are moving to diesel from petrol.
The NBS’s Petroleum Products Imports and Consumption (Truck out) Statistics Report released yesterday showed that the volume of kerosene imported in the full year ended December 31, 2019 dropped by 76 percent to 128.11 million from 537.6 million in 2018.
On the other hand diesel import, according to the report, rose by 21.7 percent to 5.15 billion litres in 2019 from 4.23 billion litres in 2018.
However, PMS recorded a marginal rise in import, which came higher by 3.7 percent to 20.89 billion litres in 2019 from 20.14 billion litres in 2018. Though this was the second consecutive YoY increase in PMS importation, the rate of increase has actually slowed against the significant 16.4 percent rise in 2018. The latest report stated: “
The Petroleum Products Importation Statistics for Full Year 2019 reflected that 20.89 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 5.15 billion litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 128.11 million litres of Household Kerosene (HHK), 1.07 billion litres of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK), 45.98 million litres of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) and 526.06 million litres of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) were imported into the country in Full Year 2019.”
“The NBS report further stated: “Zonal distribution of truck-out volume for Full Year 2019 showed that 20.58 billion of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 5.16 billion litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 270.22 million litres of Household Kerosene (HHK), 1.05 billion litres of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK), 84.53m litres of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) and 734.21million of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) were distributed nationwide during the period under review.”
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
Oilfield services provider Halliburton has decided to cut its dividend amid uncertainties related to the duration of the market downturn.
Halliburton said on Wednesday that its board of directors had declared a 2020 second-quarter dividend of four and one-half cents ($0.045) a share on the company’s common stock payable on 24 June 2020, to shareholders of record at the close of business on 3 June 2020.
The decision to set the quarterly dividend at a lower level reflects the current market conditions and uncertainties regarding the depth and duration of this downturn, Halliburton explained.
Halliburton’s board of directors has also approved a 20 per cent voluntary reduction to their annual retainer. The board’s action follows salary reductions already taken by the members of the executive committee.
President and Chief Executive Officer of Halliburton, Jeff Miller, commented that: “Halliburton continues to take measures to strengthen our liquidity and financial resilience under the current circumstances. We implemented a $1 billion action plan to reduce overhead and other costs, lowered capital expenditures roughly 50 per cent from 2019 levels and accelerated the implementation of our North American service delivery improvement strategy”.
Miller continued: “Today’s dividend announcement reflects our commitment in the near term to deliver shareholder returns while maintaining a strong liquidity position. The dividend supports our shareholder value proposition by maintaining a reasonable payout as we navigate these uncertain times.
“More importantly, it places the company in a strong position, financially and structurally, to take advantage of the market’s eventual recovery”.
As previously reported, Halliburton has decreased its workforce by around 5,000 since the oil price collapse.
Halliburton started the year with 55,000 employees across the world, but the workforce has now shrunk to about 50,000 people, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from April 24.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
The Chief Executive Officer of Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors and Managing Trustee of the COVID-19 Private Sector Fund in the Republic of Ghana, Senyo Hosi, is appealing to individuals and corporate bodies to continue to donate their widows mite to ensure the speedy completion of the ongoing Infectious Disease Isolation and Treatment Facility.
The facility is located in the Ga East Municipal Hospital in Accra, the capital of Ghana.
According to him, an amount of GH¢7 million is needed for the completion of the nation’s first Infectious Disease and Isolation Facility.
The 100-bed facility, built under the auspices of the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund, and in collaboration with the Engineering Division of the Ghana Armed Forces, is part of the country’s effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus and treat critically ill COVID-19 patients.
Ghana’s Coronavirus case count has reached 6,269 with 1,898 recoveries and 31 deaths.
Speaking to the media, Senyo Hosi said some GH¢20 million has, so far, been raised from donations with some GH¢7 million needed to close the financing gap for the project.
“On the funding, we’ve been able to raise about GH¢20 million for this project and we’ve also received other donations for other parts of our [COVID-19 Private Sector] initiatives which focused on feeding the vulnerable, resourcing and equipping frontline health workers, and we’re looking at about GH¢27 million in all and roughly US$4.5 million to wrap up the entire project,” Senyo Hosi explained.
“This week is a very important one and we need to raise a lot of funding to be able to meet about a GH¢7 to GH¢8 million financing gap that we need to work towards to cover the completion of this essential project,” he added.
Mr Senyo Hosi, therefore, called on the citizenry, businesses in the private sector, philanthropists and all to donate towards the COVID-19 Private Sector Fund towards the completion of the Infectious Disease Isolation and Treatment Facility project.
The Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund is an initiative that seeks to raise a minimum of GH¢100 million by a number of private businesses drawn from diverse sectors in the country to support the government’s efforts in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
The police in Dodowa in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region in the Republic of Ghana have charged a staff of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), who shot and killed a suspected land guards’ gang leader, for murder.
The suspect, 37- year-old Thomas Oppong, a Mechanical Technician with TOR, has, thus, been remanded into police custody when he appeared before the Ashaiman District Court presided over by His Worship Charles Boateng.
Sometime in last week, energynewsafrica.com reported that Thomas Oppong allegedly engaged in a shootout with suspected land guards at the Green House Company Limited junction near Afienya.
That was when the suspected land guards, numbering about 20, allegedly stormed Thomas Oppong’s residence and attacked him and fired gun shots apparently to kill him but managed to escape.
He allegedly grabbed his licensed pump action gun and fired back, killing the leader in the process.
Sources within the suspect’s family told energynewsafrica.com that Thomas Oppong had been in dispute with the owner of DBS Roofing Sheet Company over the land on which the suspect’s house is situated.
The police, in a statement issued earlier and intercepted by this portal, said their preliminary investigation revealed that the Green House Ghana Ltd, where the deceased was an employee, had a land dispute with suspect Thomas Kwaku Oppong for some time now.
The statement continued that the deceased, on 13th May, 2020, went to the disputed land to inspect the company’s ongoing projects where he was alleged to have been shot by the suspect.
However, police in a statement of facts presented at the Ashaiman District Court did not touch on the fact that there was a dispute between the suspect and DBS Roofing Sheet Company over a plot of land but rather said the deceased, which the police claimed worked with Green House Estate Company, went to deliver a message from his boss to the suspect, and without provocation, the suspect went into his room, picked up his gun and shot and killed the deceased, Kwame Huzzey.
Energynewsafrica.com has posted the police statements for our readers to analyse.
Below is the first statement the police issued.
ALLEGED MURDER AT SHAI HILL’S
The Dodowa Divisional CID is investigating a case in which suspect Thomas Kwaku Oppong is alleged to have shot and killed Kwame Huzzey on 13th May, 2020 at Shai- Hills, opposite Green House Company Ltd.
The deceased was a security guard with Green House Company Ltd a company under One District One Factory at Shai- Hills, Afenya.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the Green House Company Ltd where the deceased
was working has a land dispute with suspect Thomas Kwaku Oppong for some time now. The deceased on 13th May, 2020 had gone to the disputed land to inspect the company’s ongoing projects where he is alleged to have been shot by the suspect.
The deceased was rushed to the Tema General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The body has been deposited in the hospital ‘s morgue for autopsy.
Police retrieved 1 pump action gun, 6 live cartridges 2 spent cartridges and a short gun from the crime scene.
Suspect Thomas Kwaku Oppong is in Police custody assisting with investigations.
Below is the statement police presented at the Ashaiman District CourtSource:www.energynewsafrica.com
In response to the industry downturn, national oil companies (NOCs) are set to slash their exploration budgets by 26 percent on average this year, Wood Mackenzie said in an analysis on Wednesday.
The consultancy analyzed media announcements and tracked well plans of 11 large spenders among NOCs—three Chinese NOCs, Thailand’s PTTEP, Malaysia’s Petronas, India’s ONGC, Qatar Petroleum, Russia’s Rosneft and Gazprom, Brazil’s Petrobras, and Mexico’s Pemex.
Although all of those NOCs are axing exploration budgets in the near term, the measure is likely to be just a short-term move because exploration is an important part of NOCs business for the longer term, much more so than exploration is for the supermajors, WoodMac said.
NOCs invested on average 17 percent of their upstream budgets in exploration between 2015 and 2019, while the international oil majors spent an average 8 percent of upstream budgets on exploration in that period, according to Wood Mackenzie senior analyst Huong Tra Ho.
Many NOCs will cut spending on upstream exploration abroad, prioritizing domestic exploration and investments amid the industry slump and the global economic downturn in the pandemic, which weigh on oil and gas-rich countries.
“Most NOCs on the list carry strong government mandates. Many NOCs prioritise current revenue and contribution to government budgets at the expense of capital investments for the future. A dollar invested at home remains at home in the form of local employment, local services, taxes and government take,” Ho said in a statement.
In redrawing exploration plans, NOCs with limited discovered domestic resources could try to protect exploration budgets as much as possible. These are Petronas and China’s CNOOC, for example. On the other hand, Russia’s Rosneft and Gazprom, who have long reserve lives, are not as pressured to protect exploration spending from cuts, Wood Mackenzie said.
The exploration budget reductions at NOCs are likely only near-term measures in response to the industry environment, WoodMac said, adding that “We expect NOCs to revitalise their exploration programmes as the sector recovers.”
Algeria’s Minister of Energy, Mohamed Arkab, has underscored the need for the industry to accelerate the concretization of local training programs in the hydrocarbon industry to support important current and future oil and gas projects in the region.
Speaking during his visit to the Touat-Gaz group (70 km north of Adrar), the Minister called for accelerating the implementation of local programs for specialized training in hydrocarbons and related trades, in order to have a skilled workforce in the field.
Listening to a technical presentation on the creation of the gas group in question, with a foreign partner, and its entry into operation, in the production and marketing phase of natural gas, Mr. Arkab invited the managers of the Sonatrach and Sonelgaz groups to hasten the finalization of administrative procedures for the opening of a Hydrocarbons Institute in the wilaya of Adrar.
The objective being, he explained, is to offer young people specialized training opportunities in the sector, so as to both generate jobs and support important projects, current and future, of the sector in the region with a qualified workforce.
The Minister of Energy has also inspected the project to build a 110 km gas pipeline to supply power plants through the dairas of the wilaya. Mohamed Arkab valued this operation, which embodies the partnership between two public companies (Sonatrach and Sonelgaz), via Algerian skills and an Algerian energy transport network.
This operation should allow an energy transition, through the operation of power plants running on natural gas, instead of fuel oil, and therefore more efficient, noted the Minister.
The Minister of Energy continues his working visit by inspecting other energy installations in the wilaya.
The Government of Ghana says it has paid all debts it owed the country’s power distribution company, Electricity Company of Ghana up to December 2019.
According to the country’s Minister for Energy, John -Peter Amewu, the Akufo-Addo administration paid GHS2 billion annually to cover its bills.
Speaking at a press conference organized by the Information Ministry, Mr. Peter Amewu said the payment of the debts has given government credit balance of GHS500 million to pay for electricity bills for January to April 2020.
“In 2016 when the NDC left power, the total amount owed the ECG was GHS2.63 billion. The NPP government on assumption of office ensured that it was current on all bills incurred during its tenure from 2017 to date. Ladies and Gentlemen, on the average, government under H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has paid two million annually to cover its bill with the Electricity Company of Ghana. Indeed, at the end of 2019, all government bills with ECG had been paid and government had a credit balance of GHS500 million with ECG. Ladies and Gentlemen with an average bill payment of about GHS100 million per month, the credit balance of over GHS500 million is enough and more than enough to pay for government bills from January to April 2020.”
The Minister added that should the Power Reconciliation Exercise be completed, government will be in a conformable position to inform viable consumers of electricity that the energy sector is gradually moving out of debt.
“It is also interesting to note that an unreconciled additional payment of GH¢4.14 billion has also been made to various small suppliers of power producers which is yet to be credited government under the ongoing Power Reconciliation Exercise,” he added.
He has urged its customers to practice energy consumption habits during their stay at home amid the novel Coronavirus pandemic.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus, which has affected world economies including Ghana, has not spared the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) sector of the Ghanaian economy.
In Ghana, LPG is used for cooking as well as powering of vehicles.
However, the consumption of the commodity has declined in the West African nation over the last three months, and this has been linked to the outbreak of the Coronavirus.
Ghana has recorded over 5,735 cases of Coronavirus with 1,754 recoveries and 29 deaths.
The situation has made the government place a ban on social gathering and shut down hotels, bars and restaurants.
Speaking to energynewsafrica.com in an interview, Vice Chairman of LPG Marketing Association of Ghana, Gabriel Kumi said LPG consumption has declined to between 15 percent and 20 percent.
“The LPG consumption has declined since the inception of COVID-19. If you look at the consumption, even though domestic consumption has seen 10 percent increment if you look at the industrial consumption, the chopbars, restaurants and hotels are no longer operating so, obviously, there has been a dip in domestic consumption of LPG. About 40 to 45 percent of LPG is being consumed by taxis and commercial vehicles…But during the lockdown, there was slow activity so it also slowed consumption.
Mr Gabriel Kumi, Vice Chairman of LPG Marketing Association of Ghana
“In all, if you look at the figures, LPG consumption has dropped between 15 and 20 percent,” Mr Kumi posited.
Mr Kumi revealed that the current situation has compelled LPG retailers across the country to adopt cost cutting measures in a bid to continue to stay in business and become competitive.
The sector employers about 6,000 people but Mr Kumi noted that the figure has been slashed by 10 percent.
Among other cost cutting measures being adopted by the employers in the LPG sector, Mr Kumi explained include slashing of salaries of staff by 50 percent.
Making an argument about the cost of LPG consumption in relation to the impact of the Coronavirus, Mr Kumi, said: “This is one of the reasons why we kicked strongly against the new LPG margin by our regulator, the NPA. We believe the idea is being made for the Ghanaians to pay too much for LPG. We believe the product is chocked by consistent and continuous introduction of taxes.”
He argued that the country stands to gain more revenue on it when it cuts taxes on LPG to allow more consumption than imposing more taxes on the product.
“This is why we have called for a total removal of taxes from LPG to make the product more affordable to the ordinary Ghanaian so that it can increase consumption to save our environment and save mother Ghana from environmental destruction,” he explained.
The LPG Marketing Association vice Chair, further noted that globally, the product’s use is on the rise, but in Ghana, its use is on the decline at worse, it is stagnated, because of the taxes we have imposed on its use.
He advised parents to place their cylinders outside their kitchen to save children who are at home because of school closures to prevent gas accidents in their homes.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
Tema-based Wang Heng Co. Ltd, producers of Sol cement in the Republic of Ghana, has presented quantities of facemasks to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to enable the company fight the Coronavirus pandemic.
According to Wang Heng, as a partner of ECG in the power sector, it behoves on it to support the effort of ECG in ensuring its staff are safe.
General Manager of Wang Heng Co. Ltd. Nana Obokomatta IX, who presented the items on behalf of the company, expressed concern about the havoc COVID-19 continues to wreck on the nations’s economy and lives.
He urged Ghanaians to adhere to all the safety protocols in order not to get infected or spread the virus.
Receiving the items, Managing Director of ECG, Kwame Agyeman-Budu expressed gratitude to Wang Heng for the gesture.
He said the items had come at a time when ECG was spending so much on personal protective equipment to make sure that staff, as well as customers, are safe on their premises to transact business.
“We’re in a very difficult time to keep the safety of our staff. We’re spending so much money to ensure the COVID-19 safety protocols,” he said.
Mr Agyeman-Budu advised staff of ECG across the company’s operational areas to endeavour to practise physical distancing, handwashing with soap under running water and wearing of facemask.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
The Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons has signed the very first mining contracts in the country’s history.
The country signed five mining contracts with three different companies.
This follows the conclusion of the country’s first mining bidding round last year, EG Ronda 2019.
The agreements include one gold exploration contract in Block (I) with Manhattan Mining Investment Co; three prospecting contracts with Blue Magnolia Ltd in Block (B) for bauxite and precious metals, Block (K) for gold, and Block (H) for gold, uranium, iron, bauxite, basic metals and rare earth minerals; and finally one prospecting contract with Shefagold in Blocks (N) and (O) for platinum, palladium, silver, chrome, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, iron ore and related minerals.
“Mining is a key contributor to economic growth and jobs creation across West and Southern Africa, and we truly believe that it is time that Equatorial Guinea enters the race and starts developing its potential in minerals,” H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons said.
“The development of this industry is central to the government’s economic diversification agenda and is expected to create thousands of jobs in the future,” he added.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons (MMH) had published a new regulatory framework for mining operations in the country. The new regulation applies to all exploration and exploitation activities by both foreign and local companies that wish to operate in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. The newly appointed contractors are expected to start exploration activities at the earliest in the Rio Muni area, which is highly prospective in minerals such as gold, diamonds, base metals, iron ore and bauxite.
The move notably aligns with Equatorial Guinea’s Economic Diversification Policy designed by the Government following its Second National Economic Conference, and follows the successful approval of the Mining Law by the National Bicameral Parliament. Given Equatorial Guinea’s heavy reliance on hydrocarbons to support its economy, mining and minerals are seen as a key sector to diversify national output, increase revenue generation and create jobs. Under the ongoing Year of Investment 2020 for instance, the MMH is promoting key projects in the mining and minerals industry, notably including an industrial mining area with a gold refinery.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
The African Energy Chamber is urging oil producing nations in Africa to allow chartered flights carrying oil and gas industry personnel and medical equipment’s to land.
The chamber noted that few oil-producing countries like Nigeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and others have allowed a much-needed rotation of oil sector workers.
However, the Chamber believes the current arrangement by international oil companies such as ExxonMobil in Equatorial Guinea must be expanded across all oil-producing states and governments should immediately facilitate these movements.
According to the Chamber, upon arrival in oil cities, all personnel on board should go under mandatory quarantine in full compliance with the Advisory Guidelines for the Management and Safety of Oil Workers.
Because of sustained lockdowns and travel restrictions globally, oil workers have been forced to stay on site longer and work extra hours, increasing the risk of lost time injury across oil industry operations.
“Whether oil companies have been forced to maintain personnel on site for extended periods of time or withdraw their workers altogether, the situation is no longer viable. Oil workers need to be able to rotate safely in and out of the work sites, and fields need to be maintained and operated by sound and rested personnel,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman at the African Energy Chamber.
“We urge oil-producing countries to work with oil and air companies to adhere to the Chamber’s Advisory Guidelines and ensure a safe movement of oil sector personnel across the continent. We continue to have positive dialogue with governments and the industry and we are confident about a solution very soon,” he added.
Amid extended travel restrictions, the African Energy Chamber is urging all stakeholders to put the safety of oil workers and the ability of oil companies to continue operating at the top of industry priorities. Several additional special flights can and should be organized in and out of African oil producing countries.
There is also a space for commercial airlines to operate special charter flights between key oil countries such as Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, South Sudan, Angola, Ghana and Nigeria on a bi-monthly basis in which oil companies could book seats for their personnel.
Without such movement taking place, production across African oil & gas fields could be greatly impacted and the safety of our workers could put in jeopardy.
The African oil sector has already been brutally hit by Covid-19 and the oil price crash. We need to show a lot more commonsense and pragmatism as we work on a comeback. Adding to the pain with restrictions that handicap the industry will only lead to a longer and slower recovery.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
The Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company has offered solar power system-owning customers the chance to operate under new net metering rules.
The state-owned utility has also started tendering for a total 500 MW of solar generation capacity, according to Reuters.
The national power transmission company has launched the program for solar system owners with smart meters, the cost of which can be included in the fee for securing net metering access, if necessary.
As with other net metering schemes, the state-owned body stressed only electrical unit credits would be included in household bills, not cash payments. “Net metering is beneficial to the utility and the nation at large through the saving of foreign currency, as there will be less power imports,” tweeted Zetdc.
Tender
Reuters has reported on a public notice issued by Zetdc today which appears to indicate the utility has opened a tender for 500 MW of solar generation capacity.
“The Zimbabwe Electricity and Distribution Company (Zetdc) is intending to contract 500 MW of PV solar plants of varying capacities at different identified strategic locations,” Reuters quoted the utility as stating in the document.
In January, the World Bank said it was helping the Zimbabwean government introduce a competitive tendering program for procuring large scale PV power projects under the recently completed National Renewable Energy Policy.
The nation is in desperate need of power generation capacity and solar offers a cheap, scalable solution.
Zimbabwe had only 12 MW of installed solar capacity at the end of December, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. Only 1 MW of solar was added to the country’s grid last year.
Iran has warned the United States of America not to interfere with any Iranian fuel shipments to Venezuela in Caribbean waters, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has said.
This follows reports that the U.S. could consider measures in response to those shipments.
Last week, a senior U.S. Administration official told Reuters that the United States was looking into measures that it could take in response to shipments of fuel from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
Crisis-hit Venezuela is now reeling from severe U.S. sanctions on its oil industry, years of lack of investments in maintaining its dilapidated refineries, the coronavirus pandemic, and low oil prices. Fuel shortages in the South American country sitting on top of the world’s largest oil reserves are more acute than before.
Iran and Venezuela, both under strict U.S. sanctions, have reportedly boosted their cooperation in recent months. Last month, U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams said that Maduro’s regime in Venezuela is paying Iran in gold for help with Venezuela’s crumbling oil industry.
According to tanker-tracking data provided to Reuters by Refinitiv Eikon, at least one tanker has loaded fuel at an Iranian port and is currently traveling to Venezuela.
“Following the release of reports suggesting U.S. officials had threatened to harass Iranian tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in a letter to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, warned the United States about sending troops to the Caribbean Sea with the aim of interfering with the transfer of Iran’s fuel to Venezuela,” Iran’s foreign ministry said on Sunday.
In addition, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Seyyed Abbas Araqchi, summoned the ambassador of Switzerland, which represents the U.S. interests in Iran, and “asked the top diplomat to relay to Washington officials Iran’s serious warning over any possible threat by the U.S. against Iranian tankers,” Iran said.
“Zarif stressed that the U.S. must give up bullying on the world stage and respect the rule of international law, especially free shipping in the high seas,” Iran’s foreign ministry said.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com
Ghana’s Coronavirus case count has reached 6,269 with 1,898 recoveries and 31 deaths.
Speaking to the media, Senyo Hosi said some GH¢20 million has, so far, been raised from donations with some GH¢7 million needed to close the financing gap for the project.
“On the funding, we’ve been able to raise about GH¢20 million for this project and we’ve also received other donations for other parts of our [COVID-19 Private Sector] initiatives which focused on feeding the vulnerable, resourcing and equipping frontline health workers, and we’re looking at about GH¢27 million in all and roughly US$4.5 million to wrap up the entire project,” Senyo Hosi explained.
“This week is a very important one and we need to raise a lot of funding to be able to meet about a GH¢7 to GH¢8 million financing gap that we need to work towards to cover the completion of this essential project,” he added.
Mr Senyo Hosi, therefore, called on the citizenry, businesses in the private sector, philanthropists and all to donate towards the COVID-19 Private Sector Fund towards the completion of the Infectious Disease Isolation and Treatment Facility project.
The Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund is an initiative that seeks to raise a minimum of GH¢100 million by a number of private businesses drawn from diverse sectors in the country to support the government’s efforts in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com 
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com 
