The 2020 Sasol Solar Challenge in South Africa is officially open for entries and boasts exciting changes. Participants can look forward to a new route and changes in format.
With a renewed title sponsor, the seventh Sasol Solar Challenge (SSC) will be held in September 2020, once again challenging top young engineers from across the world to drive their fuel-less, cutting-edge cars across 2,500km of South Africa’s public roads.
Element of surprise for participants
The SSC passes through the Northern Cape for the first time in eight years, and Bothaville, Kimberley, Bloemhof, Uitenhage, Kirkwood, Plettenberg Bay and Franschhoek have been added to the route for the first time.
Competitors in 2020 will have to think on their feet on ‘blind’ days, when information regarding the route is withheld until the night before, forcing teams to strategise on the go.
Experienced teams usually travel the route several times in advance to prepare for all challenges, but will now need to plan for the element of surprise. The loops en-route, which allow teams to rack up distance and get a lead on competitors, will also be much shorter in 2020.
Spectators will have better opportunities to see the carefully co-ordinated, Formula 1-style pit stops in action, and the less experienced teams will have more time to troubleshoot as they stop in with their support team more often.
Challenge sparks innovation in solar
Teams from across the globe develop pioneering technology for solar racing events. The Sasol Solar Challenge, held every second year since 2008, is a popular testing ground for the world’s leading teams to push new equipment to the limit.
Widely regarded as the most difficult of more than a dozen such events globally, the baking sun, violent storms, high winds, changing road surfaces and a record drop in altitude of nearly 2,000 miles along the South African route allow teams to gather invaluable data.
“The 2020 Sasol Solar Challenge is once again an opportunity for our team to test and understand new technology we’ve developed,” Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) team leader Johannes de Vries said.
The University’s car, Sun Chaser 3, topped the South African leader board with 2,397km in 2018. The team is one of the nine participants already signed up for the event. Sun Chaser 4, which will compete in 2020, is 25% more aerodynamic, and the team hopes to make it 20kg lighter too.
Seven South African teams have entered so far, including first-time participants the Mpumalanga SolaFlairs and the University of the Free State, and returning teams from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Central University of Technology in the Free State, North West University, TUT, and the University of Johannesburg. South Africa will also host newcomers Team Solaris from Turkey and the Alfaisal Boeing Solar Car Project team from Saudi Arabia. With registration only recently opening, more teams are expected within the coming months.
Commitment to STEM education
Sasol is the title sponsor for the fourth year running, demonstrating its commitment to furthering science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education and inspiring learners to pursue technical careers.
“We have seen this event grow from strength to strength over the last decade, and are proud to renew our sponsorship. The Sasol Solar Challenge brings maths and engineering to life in the eyes of the thousands of school children it reaches on its route, inspiring them in ways that textbooks simply can’t,” said Sasol’s Group brand marketing manager Nozipho Mbatha.
The event typically draws more than 20 partners and sponsors, and the 2020 event is proud to confirm support from Sun International, C-Track and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA).
“We are looking forward to a bigger, better event in 2020 and encourage solar car teams, sponsors and partners from all parts of the country and world to get in touch with us,” said the event director, Robert Walker.
Dutch team took the cup in 2018
In 2018, the nine competing teams drove a collective 16,249km.
Dutch team and global leader Nuon Solar won the 2018 event by clocking 4,034km, followed closely by Japan’s Tokai University Solar Car team, with just 93km less distance covered.
Both teams compete with multi-million Rand vehicles through which they are driving research and development in engineering, renewable energy and aerodynamics globally.
MODEC Production Services Ghana JV. Ltd. (MPSG), an offshore oil and gas services provider in the West Africa nation, Ghana, has announced the successful completion of training for the first batch of Ghanaian welders in Brazil.
The first overseas training was facilitated by MPSG and its sister company in Brazil, MODEC Serviços de Petróleo do Brasil Ltd.
The first batch of five (5) participants who have completed 6-7 months of on-the-job training in Brazil were welcomed at a dinner reception on Friday September 20, hosted by Mr. Theophilus Ahwireng, Managing Director of MPSG, and attended by senior officials of the Petroleum Commission, Tullow Ghana Limited (TGL), MPSG board members among other dignitaries.
According to Myjoyonline.com, Managing Director of MODEC, Mr. Theophilus Ahwireng who welcomed the first batch of trainees commended them for their dedication to the training goals.
He commented that a number of the trainees had been requested (by the Brazil office) to return for a further extension of the programme. This he said was testament to the focus and hard work the trainees had put into their own development.
Director for Localisation at Petroleum Commission, Mr. Kwaku Boateng, who represented the Deputy CEO of Petroleum Commission at the event, extended compliments from the CEO, the Board and Management of the Petroleum Commission to MPSG and its stakeholders.
“You have by this training programme, demonstrated commitment to enhancing local content in Ghana. This is an excellent initiative which feeds into Government’s overarching agenda to develop the country’s human resource base for increased participation in the Oil and Gas industry”, Mr. Boateng commented.
He noted that more of such initiatives were encouraged in the industry to develop the competencies of Ghanaians and urged MPSG to do even to develop local talent.
Mr Theophilus Ahwireng, MD of MODEC
The MPSG-MdB Secondment Training programme was launched in January this year with the support of Tullow Ghana Limited (TGL) and the Petroleum Commission with the aim of developing the capabilities of bright local professionals with the right skillsets, through on-the-job training and best practice transfer at MODEC’s state of the art facilities in Brazil.
The first cohort of fifteen (15) participants were selected based on performance and across various onshore departments to participant in the 2019 training programme.
Addressing the trainees, Mr. Kweku Andoh Awotwi, Executive Vice President, Tullow Plc/Managing Director TGL, expressed the hope that the training in Brazil had instilled stronger capabilities and improved skill sets that would guarantee continuity and sustainability of MODEC’s activities in Ghana for many years to come.
He also noted that Tullow was pleased with the partnership it had nurtured with MODEC over the years which had been mutually beneficial, as both companies had drawn on the experience of each other while promoting the shared philosophy of developing local capacity of Ghanaian technical professionals and indigenous companies.
The first batch of trainees took turns to share their experiences with the guests at the dinner and thanked MPSG and its partners for the unique training opportunity.
The second batch of trainees are being processed to commence their overseas secondment training in October this year.
About MODEC Group
MODEC has been providing competitive floating solutions for the offshore oil and gas industry and is recognized as a leading specialist for floating production systems such as Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels and Tension Leg Platforms (TLPs).
MODEC has an excellent track record of EPCI (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation) as well as charter and operations projects.
Nigeria’s House of Representatives has called for the probe of Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) over its alleged non-adherence to country’s local content law.
The decision was taken at the House plenary on Tuesday as a result of a motion sponsored by Ossai Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta) on the ‘Need to investigate Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO’s) Non-Compliance with Nigeria Local Content Act.’The company is operating in Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency of Delta state.Presenting the motion, Ossai said the enactment of Nigeria’ Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act of 2010, popularly called the Local Content Act, was to provide a Legal Framework for increased Nigerians participation in all activities regarding exploration, exploitation, development, transportation and sale of crude oil and gas resources.He noted that the Act specified 70% use of indigenous labour, materials and resources in all oil and gas projects in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
According to shipsandports.com.ng, the lawmaker explained that Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) is an Indian company with businesses in six continents and several countries such as India, USA, China, Japan, Europe, Middle East and South East Asia.
He said the company ventured into Nigerian oil and gas market in 2005 and is presently producing crude oil in the Niger Delta.He however lamented that most of the human and material resources and services being utilised by the company in the Niger Delta region particularly in Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency are mostly Indians.
“Under the Local Content Act, it prescribed that the minimum Nigerian content requirement in any project, service or product specification to be executed in the Nigerian oil and gas industry shall be consistent with the level set-out in the Schedule to the Act.
“The neglect over the years by the Nigerian Content Monitoring Board that is saddled with responsibility to monitor, supervise and coordinate the Local Content Act, has grossly defeated the purpose of the prescribed minimum thresholds for Nigerian participation in the activities within the Nigerian oil and gas industry,” he added.
“Section 16 l(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 enjoins the Federal Government to “manage and operate major sectors of its economy,” thereby avoiding foreign domination of the economy”, he claimed.
The House of Representatives has mandated its Committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Nigerian Content and Monitoring Development to investigate the level of utilization of the Local Community and the Nigerian human and material resources by the company.
The committee is expected to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
Oil and gas operators with assets in Ireland have sought clarification following the government’s announcement it plans to end all future oil exploration in the country due to its incompatibility with a low-carbon future.
During the UN Climate Action Summit on Monday evening An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stated the Irish Government’s intention to phase out oil exploration licenses in the future.
Varadkar said that Ireland’s Independent Climate Change Advisory Council had recommended that exploration for oil should end as it is incompatible with a low-carbon future. The Council recommend that exploration for natural gas should continue for now as a transition fuel.
Following Varadkar’s statement at the summit, Europa Oil & Gas, Providence Resources, and Lansdowne Oil & Gas have issued statements saying they will seek clarification of the situation.
It is the understanding of these three companies that the phasing out of oil exploration only relates to future oil licenses and not future gas licenses. Furthermore, it is their understanding that all of the options, licenses and leases already in place will be allowed to progress for their full duration.
Europa Oil and Gas and Providence both said they would be seeking clarification of the situation through the offices of the Irish Offshore Operators’ Association (IOOA).
IOOA is the representative organization for the Irish offshore oil and gas industry. Its members are companies licensed by Government to explore for and produce oil and gas in Irish waters.
Responding to remarks by An Taoiseach, a spokesperson for the IOOA said in a statement on Monday: “IOOA look forward to seeing the full detail of the proposals to be outlined in the Taoiseach’s speech at the Climate Action Summit this evening. In particular we look forward to receiving the exact detail of the proposed implementation of today’s announcement regarding future exploration in Ireland.
“Our members remain committed to Ireland’s efforts to transition to renewable energy, however energy security for Ireland is an important part of that process and we will seek a meeting with Government in relation to the matter in the coming weeks,” offshoreenergytoday.com quoted the statement saying.
Europa has a large exploration position in Ireland, including its flagship Inishkea gas prospect which is located close to the Corrib gas field in the Slyne Basin.
Providence has interest in several licenses offshore Ireland, including the Barryroe oil accumulation. A survey over two locations on the Barryroe field was recently completed with two more locations on the cards once and if Providence’s partner APEC delivers on its promised loan.
Lansdowne has interest in the Helvick field, which is situated some 40km offshore Ireland in c. 80m (265ft) water depth. It also has an interest in the Providence-operated SEL1/11, which contains the Barryroe field.
A former Petroleum Ministry official in Nigeria, Grace Taiga, has been charged with accepting bribes and failing to follow protocol over a disputed gas deal by the country’s anti-fraud office.
Taiga, former petroleum ministry director of legal, pleaded not guilty in a court in Abuja to eight counts of wrongdoing put forward by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC alleges Taiga accepted bribes, made false statements and signed the contract without approval from the federal executive council and Bureau of Public Procurement.
According to a Reuters report, the court documents have the EFCC also alleging that the now-deceased former petroleum minister Rilwanu Lukman broke the law by signing a deal without proper approvals and protocol.
The charges revolve around a 2010 contract with the firm of Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) to build and operate a gas-processing plant in the southeastern port city of Calabar.
The complaint alleges she received $1,000 in 2015 and payments of $10,000 in each of December 2017 and June 2018 as a reward for favors to P&ID. Taiga was remanded to prison until her bail application is determined on September 25(today).
The Nigerian government and the firm entered into international arbitration after the deal collapsed. Arbitration eventually led to a $6.6 billion award for P&ID. It has been accruing interest since 2013 and is now worth more than $9 billion.
The Reuters report said that the government claims that the deal was designed to fail and called the award “an assault on every Nigerian and unfair.”
P&ID said the EFCC had harassed, intimidated and denied due process to individuals associated with the company and the contract.
Nigeria is set to make a fresh push into rehabilitating its poorly performing refineries, Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mele Kyari has said.
According to Kyari, there had been enough excuses and that work on the Port Harcourt oil refinery would begin by January 2020. The plan is for the refineries to be back at peak capacity in 2022.
“We are on course,” Kyari said, the NNPC team was “determined to make the refinery work,” Mele Kyari said during a visit to Port Harcourt refinery.
The West African nation has four refineries, with a nameplate capacity of 445,000 barrels per day. In June, the last month for which data is available, consolidated capacity use was 2.14%. This was based only on the Kaduna facility, the others being offline. Kaduna was running at 8.7% of capacity.
According to NNPC’s accounting, the refineries had an operational deficit of 17.42 billion naira ($48 million) for June.
Because of the country’s poorly functioning refineries, it organises fuel imports under a system known as direct sale, direct purchase (DSDP). The current round of swaps under this programme will run until September 2020, but Kyari acknowledged in an interview with Bloomberg at the beginning of the month that this would be extended until the refineries were fixed. At that point, Kyari was reported as saying this would take place in 2023.
Italy’s Tecnimont and Tecnimont Nigeria won a contract to carry out a complete integrity check and equipment inspection on the Port Harcourt complex in March. The first phase was to take six months to assess the site. The second phase is to carry out a full rehabilitation of the complex, which holds two refineries with total capacity of 210,000 bpd.
The second phase is dependent on the successful completion of the integrity check and will be carried out by the Italian company, and its Nigerian subsidiary. This has the aim of boosting capacity to at least 90%. Nigeria’s The Guardian newspaper reported a Tecnimont official as saying the results of the first phase would be delivered within the next three weeks.
Kyari’s plan is ambitious. A number of rehabilitation projects have been proposed for Nigeria’s refineries and have failed to make much progress. Turnaround maintenance (TAM) on the plants has been neglected leaving them in a poor state.
The previous minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, set out a number of plans for the refineries, none of which came to fruition. In 2018, Kachikwu predicted the country’s refining capacity would be 1.1 million bpd in 2020. A major increase is due to come from the Dangote refinery, in Lekki. This will have 650,000 bpd of capacity but has also been delayed. Most recently, company officials have said they expect to begin processing crude by the end of 2020.
The head of the shipping firm that owns the British-flagged oil tanker held by Iran since July has said it is still in Iranian waters, a day after Tehran said the vessel was free to move.
Erik Hanell who is the Chief Executive of Swedish company Stena Bulk, told the Associated Press: “We know nothing as to why she is still there.”
On Monday, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei told journalists that legal proceedings against the Stena Impero had ended. The tanker has been kept in the
Iranian port of Bandar Abbas since July 19.
“Based on a friendly approach that allows forgiving mistakes, ground for freedom of the tanker has been paved and it can move,” Mr Rabiei said.
Iran seized the tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the world’s oil passes.
The raid saw commandos drop on to the ship from a helicopter, carrying assault rifles, with dramatic images later replayed on state television.
Earlier this month, Iran released seven of the ship’s crew members, but 16 remain on board.
The seizure came after authorities in Gibraltar seized an Iranian tanker carrying 130 million dollars (£104 million) in crude oil on suspicion of it breaking European Union sanctions on Syria.
Gibraltar later released the tanker, then called the Grace 1, after it said Iran had promised the ship would not go to Syria.
The ship, renamed the Adrian Darya 1, now sits off the Syrian coast, angering Britain.
Iran has not said who purchased its 2.1 million barrels of crude oil.
The ship seizures came after months of heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf, sparked by President Donald Trump’s decision over a year ago to withdraw from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers and impose crippling sanctions on its vital oil trade.
Iran since has begun breaking terms of the deal.
Zambia’s state-owned power company, ZESCO Limited has announced a 200 percent increase in electricity tariffs effective 1st October, 2019.
The six months increase in electricity tariffs is meant to offset the cost of importing 300 megawatts of power from South Africa to mitigate the power deficit the country is facing.
Speaking at a media briefing, ZESCO Director Strategy and Corporate Services Patrick Mwila indicated that the tariff increase will vary for individual costs depending on spending brackets.
The acting Managing Director of ZESCO, Webster Musonda, who also spoke at the press briefing said the cost for the importation of 300 megawatts of power for six months will be passed on to consumers.
According to him, power utility will be importing power from Eskom of South Africa at a cost of US$22 million per month.
Mr Musonda states that due to low water levels at Kafue Gorge,Itezhi tezhi and Kariba North Bank and extension power stations, the country is having a power deficit of 690 Megawatts.
He adds that the importation of 300 Mega Watts of power from South Africa is meant to mitigate the complete shutdown of Kariba North Bank power station.
Oranto Petroleum has organised a tender workshop in Uganda, in partnership with the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, the Local Government Administration and KITADI consultancy to build the capacity of oil and gas businesses.
Organised in the region of the Albertine Graben where Oranto Petroleum has its Ngassa licences, the workshop was attended by over 250 participants, a majority of which were business owners and entrepreneurs.
The workshop provided information on training and capacity building in Uganda’s oil & gas sector and gave insights to participants into the best opportunities the oil sector provides in income generation across agriculture, business incubation, transportation, storage, waste management, trade and services like banking and insurance.
Critical skills in local content, enterprise development and innovation were also provided to participants.
“Oranto understands that oil resources have the potential to provide immense benefits to African nations through employment of the local workforce, and can boost local communities and generate rural transformation,” Prince Arthur Eze, Chairman of Atlas Oranto Petroleum said in a press release copied to energynewsafrica.com.
“When we hire, train, promote and give contracts to Ugandan nationals, it is a victory for the oil industry and country. We are thankful to President Yoweri Museveni and the people of Uganda for working closely with the oil industry to ensure we all succeed. With the work done so far by our technical teams, we are confident we will soon announce a discovery once we proceed to drilling wells in Uganda,” Prince Arthur Eze added.
Director of Strategy of the African Energy Chamber Mickael Vogel said commended Oranto Petroleum for building capacity of the oil and gas sector players in Uganda.
“The Chamber welcomes programmes like this and salutes Oranto for living up to its commitment to the Ugandan people and local content. The Chamber wants to support companies that contribute in enabling Uganda’s workforce and supplier development, and collaborating with the government to support the growth and success of Uganda’s new energy industry,” he said.
Oranto Petroleum was awarded the Ngassa licence in October 2017 and has been making steady progress on its work programme since then. This notably includes the completion of the ESIA studies, seismic acquisition, and the Lake drilling solution study.
The company now plans to drill in the next two years and is encouraging local companies to be ready to participate in drilling support activities.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMC) in the Republic of Ghana, West Africa, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman Duah, says public support is important to the successful implementation of the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM).
Ghana’s petroleum downstream regulator, National Petroleum Authority and other stakeholders, as part of efforts to solicit public inputs before the rollout of the policy, have been engaging consumers across the country for their inputs. The team has so far engaged residents in Western, Eastern, Central, Ashanti, Northern and Upper East regions.
Addressing consumers at a public forum in the Volta Region of Ghana, Mr. Agyeman Duah, who is also the Chairman of the CRM Implementation Committee, said countries such as Ivory Coast and Senegal, where the policy is being implemented, are recording zero explosion results.
He therefore wondered why Ghana should not be part of such an important initiative.
According to a report filed my Ghanaweb.com, Mr. Duah is of the view that NPA’s public engagement is crucial and therefore appealed to the participants to bring their inputs, because of the critical role they play in the process.
Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee of Mines and Energy and MP for Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency, George Mireku Duker, said Members of Parliament from both sides of the house are in full support of the policy.
He said visits to Ivory Coast point to a successful implementation of the policy and therefore appealed to members of the public to support the policy.
On his part, the Regional Minister Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa said the public consultation goes to attest that the issue of safety in the use of petroleum products has been high on the agenda of Government.
“There is a call on all to make safety the key word in handling petroleum products to reduce if not eliminate the reported cases of fires associated with it.”
Chief Executive of the NPA Hassan Tampuli whose speech was read on his behalf by the Director of Human Resource, Abbiw Jackson, said government is targeting 50 percent consumption of LPG by 2030.
In this light, government, through the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has been engaging the public on the Cylinder Recirculation Model.
Mr. Tampuli said a lot more can be done to improve on the 25 per cent LPG consumption.
“The CRM policy seeks to ensure the existence of robust and standard Health, Safety and Environmental practices in the production, marketing and consumption of LPG. In addition, it will provide a market-driven structure to increase access of LPG to 50% by 2030.”
Norwegian industrial investment giant Aker Group has together with the World Economic Forum announced the formation of a center “dedicated to harnessing the advances of technology to preserve our ocean and improve the environmental footprint of ocean industries.”
Aker Group in its portfolio has the oil and gas companies Aker BP and Aker Energy, and oilfield services and construction providers Aker Solutions, Kvaerner, and Akastor, and also the FPSO owner Ocean Yield.
As part of the new initiative to preserve the ocean and improve the environmental footprint of the ocean industries, the company plans to establish the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Norway (C4IR Norway), as part of the initiative to preserve the ocean.
“Through public-private partnerships, the Centre will develop governance frameworks and solutions for a sustainable and profitable ocean economy, using digital technology ranging from Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Blockchain,” the company said.
The C4IR Norway will join the WEF’s global C4IR Network and collaborate with the Government of Norway and the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.
According to Aker, the Centre will provide a platform for partnerships on governance policies, research and business solutions that can accelerate the application of science, data, and technology in the public interest. The Centre will be an independent non-profit foundation, financed initially by founding partner the Aker group.
The Centre will at first be based at the Aker headquarters at Fornebu, Norway, before moving into the World Ocean Headquarters, an ocean cluster being developed by Aker and REV Ocean. The Centre will officially open on 1 January 2020.
“Aker has gained valuable experience through engaging in cross-sector partnering between its own commercial and non-profit entities, such as REV Ocean, Ocean Data Foundation and VI Foundation. Once operational, the Centre will be open to new partners and projects from both the public and the private sector,” Aker said.
Aker President and CEO Øyvind Eriksen said: “The ambition with this Centre is to leverage our offshore expertise and the Nordic model of collaboration between the public and the private sector to accelerate the application of technology that can reduce the industry’s environmental footprint. Only through collaboration between business, government, and NGOs will we unlock the great potential that resides in digital technology to promote sustainable development – for our societies, for value-creation, and for the environment.”
To reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the ocean will need to provide the world with more food, jobs, energy and raw materials. According to OECD estimates, the value of the ocean economy could exceed USD 3 trillion by 2030, providing more than 40 million jobs. However, fulfilling this potential will require safeguarding and improving the health of the ocean.
Top minds to help achieve SDGs
“Building a sustainable ocean economy is one of the most important tasks and greatest opportunities of our time. To mitigate the threats to a healthy and productive ocean, we need to move faster,” underlined Vidar Helgesen, Norway’s Special Envoy to the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.
“The Norwegian government welcomes the new technology center at Fornebu as an essential contribution to ocean health and wealth. It can bring together actors from business, academia and civil society in developing ground-breaking ocean solutions.”
Today, Aker stressed, the ocean is under immense pressure notably due to climate change, pollution and overexploitation, with declining biodiversity as a result. Saving the marine ecosystems will require innovative policies, good governance, technology, research, and new business solutions, based on sound scientific data.
“We have an opportunity to shape the future of emerging technology and the future of our planet,” Børge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum said.
“The new Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Norway will bring together some of the world’s top minds to co-design innovation policy solutions to achieve the SDGs and protect our ocean. Powered by the Forum’s international network of Centres, this Affiliate will be able to accelerate and scale quickly.”
As an affiliate of the C4IR in San Francisco, which opened in 2017, the technology center in Norway will be the only center among the seven in the network to focus on the environment. The Centre’s initial projects will fall into three categories: minimizing the environmental footprint of ocean-related industrial activities; harnessing big data to optimize marine resource mapping, monitoring and management; and using digital technology tools to protect marine biodiversity.
The British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, which Iran seized in the middle of July in the Strait of Hormuz, is now “free to leave Iran,” Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiyee said on Monday.
Several high-profile incidents in recent months have increased the tension between Iran and the West in the Middle East and in the most important oil shipping corridor in the world, the Straight of Hormuz, which is in close proximity to Iranian coasts.
In one of the most prominent incidents in the Gulf in the summer, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) seized the British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, owned by a Swedish company, in what appeared to be a retaliatory move after the British overseas territory Gibraltar seized the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1—released in mid-August—with the help of the UK Royal Marines at the beginning of July.
Iran has said that it had impounded the UK-flagged vessel Stena Impero because it had violated international maritime rules in the Strait of Hormuz.
The tanker is “is now free to leave Iran with the end of legal proceedings,” Iran’s Fars news agency reported on Monday.
“Iran has decided to condone the violation of international maritime regulations by the Stena Impero,” the agency quoted the government spokesman as saying. The oil tanker is “now free to leave the Southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, as the legal formalities have been observed and completed,” according to Iran.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Stena Impero actually started to move toward leaving Iran.
Stena Bulk, the company that owns the UK-flagged tanker, told Swedish television SVT on Sunday that the tanker could be released “soon.”
“We have received information now this morning that it seems like they will release the ship Stena Impero within a few hours. So we understand that the political decision to release the ship has been taken,” Stena Bulk CEO Erik Hanell told SVT on Sunday.
On September 5, Stena Bulk said that seven out of 23 crew members of the Stena Impero had been released and were travelling to a safe location.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
A leading African Energy Attorney and founder and CEO of Pan-African corporate law conglomerate, Centurion Law Group, NJ Ayuk says he does not believe in handouts as a long-term strategy for impoverished people or nations.
Rather, he thinks that the companies working on the continent have a responsibility to help their host nations build the infrastructure necessary to expand industrialization.
Ayuk who is also the Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber expressed these views in his new book titled: “Billions at Play: The Future of African Energy” which is expected to be launched in October 2019.
Commenting on the yet to be launched book, Mr Bruce Falkenstein, who is the Joint Operations Manager of License Management & Compliance for LUKOIL, shared the views of Ayuk, which is the focus of chapter 10 in Ayuk’s new book.
Falkenstein has a 40-year career working in all facets of the international oil and gas industry. With regard to Africa, he has extensive experience managing offshore blocks in Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone for LUKOIL and Vanco Exploration, and had great success in the exploration and development of oil fields in Egypt for Amoco (BP) in the 1980s and 90s.
“There is no getting around it: Africa is exporting raw materials it could be refining and processing, if it only had the capabilities, but not everyone is willing to admit that with the level of candor Ayuk does,” Falkenstein said. “What’s more, he has correctly linked infrastructure deficits to the lack of industrialization and describes workable solutions based on examples from around the world,” he said in a press released copied to energynewsafrica.com by APO Group.
Ayuk sees the irony in oil and gas produced in Africa being sent away to be refined, then returned as finished products that Africans pay a premium for. Roads, railways, and reliable electricity are key to building a manufacturing base in Africa, but they take resources—some of which should be provided by the international energy companies making millions on the continent, he argues.
“It is simply not ethical for American, French, Italian, and other companies to come here and not help lift people out of poverty,” Falkenstein said. “True, they employ indigenous workers and provide training, but one of the biggest benefits would be in committing to help build sustainable infrastructure and physical assets that will remain a plus for the people long after the companies have pulled up stakes and left Africa, and I will add that sustainability of the work force, also a key component of a venture’s ‘built assets’, is critical to the future industrial output of the nations and currently many of the work force assets are left behind without local supporting employment agencies after the stakes are pulled up. Sustainability is only achieved through alignment of the projects with both the real needs of the impacted communities and the spectrum of government stakeholders.
As Ayuk alludes to in chapter 9, Calling All Leaders! More on Good Governance, part of good governance requires that good leadership needs to be able to recognize the upfront additional cost to achieve sustainability results in reduced project risks and improved long-term project stability and economics.”
In Billions at Play: The Future of African Energy, Ayuk does not overlook the issues Africa has caused for itself, including unscrupulous leaders who have siphoned off funds that were intended for the public good. At the same time, as Falkenstein noted, he points out how countries like Kenya have created an enabling environment for manufacturing that supports economic diversification and should reduce the country’s exposure to external shocks, including oil and gas price volatility.
“In NJ Ayuk’s world, there are few villains, just people and businesses who can and need to do more,” Falkenstein said. “That is what makes his book so compelling—it is, truly, fair and balanced. Learning from Ayuk will put you on the successful path in Africa. His first book, Big Barrels: African Oil and Gas and the Quest for Prosperity, should be within close reach for any serious oil and gas executive and negotiator. With that said, Ayuk’s newest book needs to be in even closer reach as each of you pursue your own quest for Billions.”
A six-member high-level delegation from Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Limited in the Republic of Ghana, West Africa, on Friday, September 20, 2019, paid a courtesy call on the Vice President of the Republic of Liberia, Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor, at her Capitol Building Office in Monrovia.
The Delegation had earlier met with His Excellency, President George M. Weah before their courtesy on the Vice President.
The Chinese Company has entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Liberia to conduct pre-feasibility studies for investment in the development and operation of electricity generation, transmission and distribution utilities in Liberia, a Press Release from the office of the Veep said.
The Delegation which was led by Togbe Afede XIV, Director of the Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Shenzhen Energy Group Limited, also had Mr. Qun Yang(Chairman of Sunon-Asogli and Shenzhen Energy Africa Development Unit) Mr. Kojo Wang(Director of Africa Projects Development Unit), Elikplim K. Apetorgbor( Manager Energy Trading, Research & Business Development) as well as Mr. Yan Wei(Commercial Manager).
They were accompanied to the office of the Vice President by the Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy, Honorable Gesler E. Muray, and then the Chairman of the National Investment Commission, Honorable Molewuleh B. Gray.
The Delegation in a group photograph with the Vice President of Liberia
The Company, according to the MOU, will also set up a legally registered Liberia subsidiary once modalities for a power purchase agreement are reached with the Government of Liberia.
Vice President Howard-Taylor welcomed the delegation to her office and expressed appreciation to officials of the National Investment Commission, the Ministry of Lands, Mines, and Energy as well as her Office Chief of Staff, Honorable, George T. Nimely, for the coordinated effort to reach this far with the Agreement.
According to the Analyst Newspaper, the Vice President described Energy as crucial to the development and a major component of the President’s development agenda.
“Access to modern energy, especially in the lower-income developing countries, is an important factor for achieving key aspects of the Millennium Development Goals and supporting government’s Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity & Development,” the Liberian Vice President told the Dele
Speaking earlier, the Director of Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited, Togbe Afede XIV, explained that the company does not only see a lot of potentials but also challenges, promising that following the feasibility studies, the company will present findings to the GOL and make application consistent with opportunities in the electricity generation, transmission or distribution.
According to him, the presence of the Chinese Company in Ghana has greatly impacted the energy sector, expertise he noted will be brought to Liberia to positively impact the energy sector.
For his part, Lands, Mines, and Energy Gesler Muray thanked the Vice President for the level of cooperation during the discussions while expressing optimism for a positive outcome from the MOU.
Minister Muray disclosed that the MOU for the pre-feasibility is enforceable for the period of six months and that the Government, through the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy and the National Investment Commission will recommend the appropriate next steps leading to power purchase between the GOL and the Shenzhen Energy following the review and validation of the findings presented.
The Delegation which was led by Togbe Afede XIV, Director of the Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Shenzhen Energy Group Limited, also had Mr. Qun Yang(Chairman of Sunon-Asogli and Shenzhen Energy Africa Development Unit) Mr. Kojo Wang(Director of Africa Projects Development Unit), Elikplim K. Apetorgbor( Manager Energy Trading, Research & Business Development) as well as Mr. Yan Wei(Commercial Manager).
They were accompanied to the office of the Vice President by the Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy, Honorable Gesler E. Muray, and then the Chairman of the National Investment Commission, Honorable Molewuleh B. Gray.
