Dr Amin Adam, John-Peter Amewu, Patricia Asaam, Kwame Jantuah and TGS officials in a group photograph at TGS’s Headquarters in Houston, Texas, USA.
Apart from plans to attract new investors, Dr Amin Adam indicated that the Ministry is also discussing with the existing producers to tap into the resources within their contract areas that have not formed part of the current production.
He said, “We are also trying to look for secondary techniques of oil recovery to maximize production from the existing producing fields. And so, yesterday, we had another Ghana Forum here, talking to investors to come and invest with the view to supporting our strategy. When we do this, we are able to increase our resources, and through that increase and sustain production, we will have more revenue coming over sustained period of time, and that should support our economy in terms of financing the development needs of our people, and also supporting the industrial agenda of our President, Nana Addo. And so, the OTC, for me, is an enormous opportunity for us, and we are hoping that we will get the best.”
Positive signs
According to Dr Amin, the interest shown in Ghana’s oil and gas sector by major oil companies such as ExxonMobil, BP, Aker Energy as well as Qatar Petroleum, is an indication that Ghana’s oil and gas has a brighter future. Responding to a question on the 57 applications the Energy Ministry received for the ongoing licensing bid round, Dr Amin Adam posited that “yes, the interest is very high, and the interesting thing is that, some of the companies that have invested are those that are showing interest in Ghana, and Exxon Mobil is already in Ghana. We are negotiating with CNOOC, BP, Aker Energy is in Ghana, Qatar Petroleum applied to participate in the bid, and we are holding bilateral discussions with them. And so, the level of interest is very high and very interesting, because of the number and quality of companies that are showing up, and the future is bright for Ghana’s oil and gas industry.”
Capacity building for CSOs
Touching on the recent controversy that greeted the 450-550m barrels of oil discovery by Aker Energy, Dr Amin argued that the argument some of the civil society group postulated clearly demonstrated their lack of understanding about petroleum agreement.
He, therefore, stressed the need for civil society groups and think tanks that speak about energy issues, to be empowered through capacity building programmes to enable them have grasp on petroleum agreement.
“Well, I think that we need to provide more education to our think thanks and the NGOs that are interested in debating oil and gas issues, because you know that some of the views that are expressed are not well-informed.
“For example, if you want to assess the physical benefits that a country will thrive from an oil and gas project, you don’t do that by just adding the percentages of just the physical terms. You add royalty to carried interest to additional interest. You don’t do that. What you do is to run modules…cost benefit analysis, and that will determine…because just as you want to benefit, there is also cost you pay because there is risk. And so, for example, if you have Explorco having a commercial interest, they are going to pay for it. It is not free. So, the question you ask is: if you use that money to invest in agriculture, what will be the rate of return to the economy versus using it to invest in an oil project that is not likely to succeed, especially if there is no discovery in the contract area yet?” he quizzed.
“So, the risk is very high compared with the risk of investing the money in another area. And given that we are a developing country and we don’t have so much money, we will want to invest in areas that have lesser risks than areas that have higher risks. And so, what you will want to do is to transfer the risk to the investor or investors that are risk takers so that when they make the discovery, then, you can get your rent, you can get your free interest and you can also get your taxes.
“And so, that is the most important thing. But, if you just add the percentages…and I tell you, there are many petroleum agreements signed in Ghana with higher percentages but they have not led to any discovery. And this is why I keep saying that 100 percent of zero is zero. But, if you are getting investors that are asking for incentives and also for them to be given a little more of the interest in order to bring the area into discovery and eventually, into production, I think that, that is the sensible thing you have to do.
“What we are failing to understand is that, Ghana is still a frontier country, and only less than twenty percent of our hydrocarbon basins are licensed. And so, if you have only twenty percent of your basins licensed, it means that you are not yet a mature province.
“And the level of production in Ghana is just 200,000 barrels a day compared to two million to 2.4 million barrels a day. So, what any serious government will do will be how to attract investments. As a policy, there are two competing policies countries should be looking up to. One is how to attract investments if you are a frontier nation, and the second one is how do I maximize revenue.
“You may not be able to have all the two at the same time because you are a frontier nation, and so, your focus, as a frontier nation, should be how to attract investments, because it is when you attract the investments that you will mature your profit and then you graduate to maximization. ”And so, that is the policy every serious government that understands the dynamics of the industry will do, and that is exactly what this government is doing,” he explained.
Unlike the other sectors of the economy which is easy to understand, Dr Amin pointed out that the energy sector is more technical, stressing that there was the need for continuous education for Ghanaians to have better understanding.
“I think we should understand that we are dealing with an industry that is so technical and so it is too simplistic for propagandists, who want to mislead the people, to just add percentages. They don’t tell the people that the additional interest is not exercised until the oil discovery and so at the time there is no oil discovery, you have twenty percent, not thirty-five. But, if they tell the people that the government is reducing our interest share from thirty-five to twenty percent, they falsely carry the people away.”
Assurance
Dr Amin assured Ghanaians that the Akufo-Addo administration would make sure that it does what is better for Ghanaians in the oil and gas industry for the development of the good people of Ghana.
Michael Creg Afful is the Editor of energynewsafrica.com. He was adjudged the 2018 Best Energy Reporter Offshore Technology Conference: How Did It Benefit Ghana?
Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam (left) speaking to Michael Creg Afful(right)
I had the opportunity to visit Houston, Texas, USA, to cover the Offshore Technology Conference which began on Monday, 6th May and ended on Thursday, 9th May, 2019. It was my first time of visiting one of the most powerful nations in the world, USA, and I had wonderful experience.
Houston is the oil and gas hub of the US and so as a journalist who reports on energy, the visit gave me the opportunity to meet with some players in the sector who one would hardly come by. Except the closed door meetings, I participated in most of the events planned by the Ghanaian delegation led by the Energy Minister John Peter Amewu.
My most cherishing moment was our visit to Halliburton and TGS, the world’s leading seismic data gathering company. I left these two places excited because I learnt a lot from there. It was the visits that got me to know that the two have offices in Ghana. TGS has been working for Ghana’s National Oil Company (GNPC) to acquire seismic data on Ghana’s oil fields, and I learnt this on the visit.
Ghana empaneled speakers like Hassan Tampuli of NPA, Dr Ben KD Asante of Ghana Gas, Patrick Akpe Kwame Akorli of GOIL, Senyo Hosi of Chamber of Bulk Distribution Companies (CBOD), Egbert Faibille of Petroleum Commission, Jan Arve Haugan of Aker Energy, Ms Randi Cruiz of ExxonMobil, Joe Mensah of Kosmos Energy, Kweku Andoh Awotwi of Tullow Ghana Limited and James Yamoah of GNPC for the ‘Ghana Day’, a forum that had Ghana’s Upstream, Middle and Downstream sectors discussed.
The event brought together Ghanaians in diaspora and investors who were looking for new areas to explore oil business. The ‘Ghana Day’ forum was opened with a speech by the Minister for Energy, John Peter Amewu, who made a strong case for Ghana’s nascent oil and gas sector, citing stable political and friendly regulatory environment as key attractive elements to woo investors. In view of this, he extended an invitation to investors to consider Ghana as their most preferred place to invest in the oil and gas sector, assuring them that their investments would be secured, given the level of political stability Ghana has enjoyed over the years.
Interestingly, as it is said that everything that has a beginning has an end, the programme ended successfully. But one would ask: How did Ghana benefit from the conference? I caught up with the Deputy Minister for Energy in-charge of Petroleum, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, who shared his perspective as to how Ghana from the conference.
Prospects of OTC
“OTC has offered us opportunity to network, learn from peer countries about how they are developing their energy industry so that we can also apply the best practices that we come across in our industry as well. And countries that have developed their industries faster have certainly linked on to others that have done it well. And so like us, we are looking at countries that have advanced in the development of their energy industries that have benefited much from the exploitation of their resources, and I can assure you that we are going to move our industry forward,” Dr Amin Adam said.
This year’s OTC, Dr Amin Adam said, was exemplary for Ghanaian leadership “because we had, for the first time, the ‘Ghana Day’ and the Ghanaian leadership marketing the potential of Ghana, the prospects and opportunities that investors are looking for. We received a massive endorsement for our strategy, and given the attendance at the ‘Ghana Day’ forum, the level of interest investors have in Ghana is high.”
In his view, investors are always looking at places where the security of their investments would be assured, before they invest their monies. Additionally, he said investors look for availability of labour force. These, key influencers, Dr. Amin Adam noted, are what Ghana can boast of.
“We have a stable democracy…It is proven that we have significant amount of untapped resources and, then, also, our people are hardworking, well-designed Ghanaians and, therefore, these are the ingredients every investor is looking for. To the effect that Ghana can boast of these to get this, positions us to get the level of partnership that will inure to the benefit of the people of Ghana and also, our partners, the investors.”
Aggressive Strategy
“Our strategy, as you may know for the oil and gas industry, is what we call the ‘aggressive exploration strategy’, because we believe that if we do not make new commercial discoveries, our oil industry will not exist six to ten years to come, because we are depleting and not replacing. The rate of depletion is higher than the rate of replacement, and you need a high replacement ratio to sustain production. This is why we are embarking on aggressive exploration and so, you know that we are doing the bidding round to attract the type of companies that will come and invest in Ghana, that will come and explore for oil,” he explained.Dr Amin Adam, John-Peter Amewu, Patricia Asaam, Kwame Jantuah and TGS officials in a group photograph at TGS’s Headquarters in Houston, Texas, USA.
Apart from plans to attract new investors, Dr Amin Adam indicated that the Ministry is also discussing with the existing producers to tap into the resources within their contract areas that have not formed part of the current production.
He said, “We are also trying to look for secondary techniques of oil recovery to maximize production from the existing producing fields. And so, yesterday, we had another Ghana Forum here, talking to investors to come and invest with the view to supporting our strategy. When we do this, we are able to increase our resources, and through that increase and sustain production, we will have more revenue coming over sustained period of time, and that should support our economy in terms of financing the development needs of our people, and also supporting the industrial agenda of our President, Nana Addo. And so, the OTC, for me, is an enormous opportunity for us, and we are hoping that we will get the best.”
Positive signs
According to Dr Amin, the interest shown in Ghana’s oil and gas sector by major oil companies such as ExxonMobil, BP, Aker Energy as well as Qatar Petroleum, is an indication that Ghana’s oil and gas has a brighter future. Responding to a question on the 57 applications the Energy Ministry received for the ongoing licensing bid round, Dr Amin Adam posited that “yes, the interest is very high, and the interesting thing is that, some of the companies that have invested are those that are showing interest in Ghana, and Exxon Mobil is already in Ghana. We are negotiating with CNOOC, BP, Aker Energy is in Ghana, Qatar Petroleum applied to participate in the bid, and we are holding bilateral discussions with them. And so, the level of interest is very high and very interesting, because of the number and quality of companies that are showing up, and the future is bright for Ghana’s oil and gas industry.”
Capacity building for CSOs
Touching on the recent controversy that greeted the 450-550m barrels of oil discovery by Aker Energy, Dr Amin argued that the argument some of the civil society group postulated clearly demonstrated their lack of understanding about petroleum agreement.
He, therefore, stressed the need for civil society groups and think tanks that speak about energy issues, to be empowered through capacity building programmes to enable them have grasp on petroleum agreement.
“Well, I think that we need to provide more education to our think thanks and the NGOs that are interested in debating oil and gas issues, because you know that some of the views that are expressed are not well-informed.
“For example, if you want to assess the physical benefits that a country will thrive from an oil and gas project, you don’t do that by just adding the percentages of just the physical terms. You add royalty to carried interest to additional interest. You don’t do that. What you do is to run modules…cost benefit analysis, and that will determine…because just as you want to benefit, there is also cost you pay because there is risk. And so, for example, if you have Explorco having a commercial interest, they are going to pay for it. It is not free. So, the question you ask is: if you use that money to invest in agriculture, what will be the rate of return to the economy versus using it to invest in an oil project that is not likely to succeed, especially if there is no discovery in the contract area yet?” he quizzed.
“So, the risk is very high compared with the risk of investing the money in another area. And given that we are a developing country and we don’t have so much money, we will want to invest in areas that have lesser risks than areas that have higher risks. And so, what you will want to do is to transfer the risk to the investor or investors that are risk takers so that when they make the discovery, then, you can get your rent, you can get your free interest and you can also get your taxes.
“And so, that is the most important thing. But, if you just add the percentages…and I tell you, there are many petroleum agreements signed in Ghana with higher percentages but they have not led to any discovery. And this is why I keep saying that 100 percent of zero is zero. But, if you are getting investors that are asking for incentives and also for them to be given a little more of the interest in order to bring the area into discovery and eventually, into production, I think that, that is the sensible thing you have to do.
“What we are failing to understand is that, Ghana is still a frontier country, and only less than twenty percent of our hydrocarbon basins are licensed. And so, if you have only twenty percent of your basins licensed, it means that you are not yet a mature province.
“And the level of production in Ghana is just 200,000 barrels a day compared to two million to 2.4 million barrels a day. So, what any serious government will do will be how to attract investments. As a policy, there are two competing policies countries should be looking up to. One is how to attract investments if you are a frontier nation, and the second one is how do I maximize revenue.
“You may not be able to have all the two at the same time because you are a frontier nation, and so, your focus, as a frontier nation, should be how to attract investments, because it is when you attract the investments that you will mature your profit and then you graduate to maximization. ”And so, that is the policy every serious government that understands the dynamics of the industry will do, and that is exactly what this government is doing,” he explained.
Unlike the other sectors of the economy which is easy to understand, Dr Amin pointed out that the energy sector is more technical, stressing that there was the need for continuous education for Ghanaians to have better understanding.
“I think we should understand that we are dealing with an industry that is so technical and so it is too simplistic for propagandists, who want to mislead the people, to just add percentages. They don’t tell the people that the additional interest is not exercised until the oil discovery and so at the time there is no oil discovery, you have twenty percent, not thirty-five. But, if they tell the people that the government is reducing our interest share from thirty-five to twenty percent, they falsely carry the people away.”
Assurance
Dr Amin assured Ghanaians that the Akufo-Addo administration would make sure that it does what is better for Ghanaians in the oil and gas industry for the development of the good people of Ghana.
Michael Creg Afful is the Editor of energynewsafrica.com. He was adjudged the 2018 Best Energy Reporter
Dr Amin Adam, John-Peter Amewu, Patricia Asaam, Kwame Jantuah and TGS officials in a group photograph at TGS’s Headquarters in Houston, Texas, USA.
Apart from plans to attract new investors, Dr Amin Adam indicated that the Ministry is also discussing with the existing producers to tap into the resources within their contract areas that have not formed part of the current production.
He said, “We are also trying to look for secondary techniques of oil recovery to maximize production from the existing producing fields. And so, yesterday, we had another Ghana Forum here, talking to investors to come and invest with the view to supporting our strategy. When we do this, we are able to increase our resources, and through that increase and sustain production, we will have more revenue coming over sustained period of time, and that should support our economy in terms of financing the development needs of our people, and also supporting the industrial agenda of our President, Nana Addo. And so, the OTC, for me, is an enormous opportunity for us, and we are hoping that we will get the best.”
Positive signs
According to Dr Amin, the interest shown in Ghana’s oil and gas sector by major oil companies such as ExxonMobil, BP, Aker Energy as well as Qatar Petroleum, is an indication that Ghana’s oil and gas has a brighter future. Responding to a question on the 57 applications the Energy Ministry received for the ongoing licensing bid round, Dr Amin Adam posited that “yes, the interest is very high, and the interesting thing is that, some of the companies that have invested are those that are showing interest in Ghana, and Exxon Mobil is already in Ghana. We are negotiating with CNOOC, BP, Aker Energy is in Ghana, Qatar Petroleum applied to participate in the bid, and we are holding bilateral discussions with them. And so, the level of interest is very high and very interesting, because of the number and quality of companies that are showing up, and the future is bright for Ghana’s oil and gas industry.”
Capacity building for CSOs
Touching on the recent controversy that greeted the 450-550m barrels of oil discovery by Aker Energy, Dr Amin argued that the argument some of the civil society group postulated clearly demonstrated their lack of understanding about petroleum agreement.
He, therefore, stressed the need for civil society groups and think tanks that speak about energy issues, to be empowered through capacity building programmes to enable them have grasp on petroleum agreement.
“Well, I think that we need to provide more education to our think thanks and the NGOs that are interested in debating oil and gas issues, because you know that some of the views that are expressed are not well-informed.
“For example, if you want to assess the physical benefits that a country will thrive from an oil and gas project, you don’t do that by just adding the percentages of just the physical terms. You add royalty to carried interest to additional interest. You don’t do that. What you do is to run modules…cost benefit analysis, and that will determine…because just as you want to benefit, there is also cost you pay because there is risk. And so, for example, if you have Explorco having a commercial interest, they are going to pay for it. It is not free. So, the question you ask is: if you use that money to invest in agriculture, what will be the rate of return to the economy versus using it to invest in an oil project that is not likely to succeed, especially if there is no discovery in the contract area yet?” he quizzed.
“So, the risk is very high compared with the risk of investing the money in another area. And given that we are a developing country and we don’t have so much money, we will want to invest in areas that have lesser risks than areas that have higher risks. And so, what you will want to do is to transfer the risk to the investor or investors that are risk takers so that when they make the discovery, then, you can get your rent, you can get your free interest and you can also get your taxes.
“And so, that is the most important thing. But, if you just add the percentages…and I tell you, there are many petroleum agreements signed in Ghana with higher percentages but they have not led to any discovery. And this is why I keep saying that 100 percent of zero is zero. But, if you are getting investors that are asking for incentives and also for them to be given a little more of the interest in order to bring the area into discovery and eventually, into production, I think that, that is the sensible thing you have to do.
“What we are failing to understand is that, Ghana is still a frontier country, and only less than twenty percent of our hydrocarbon basins are licensed. And so, if you have only twenty percent of your basins licensed, it means that you are not yet a mature province.
“And the level of production in Ghana is just 200,000 barrels a day compared to two million to 2.4 million barrels a day. So, what any serious government will do will be how to attract investments. As a policy, there are two competing policies countries should be looking up to. One is how to attract investments if you are a frontier nation, and the second one is how do I maximize revenue.
“You may not be able to have all the two at the same time because you are a frontier nation, and so, your focus, as a frontier nation, should be how to attract investments, because it is when you attract the investments that you will mature your profit and then you graduate to maximization. ”And so, that is the policy every serious government that understands the dynamics of the industry will do, and that is exactly what this government is doing,” he explained.
Unlike the other sectors of the economy which is easy to understand, Dr Amin pointed out that the energy sector is more technical, stressing that there was the need for continuous education for Ghanaians to have better understanding.
“I think we should understand that we are dealing with an industry that is so technical and so it is too simplistic for propagandists, who want to mislead the people, to just add percentages. They don’t tell the people that the additional interest is not exercised until the oil discovery and so at the time there is no oil discovery, you have twenty percent, not thirty-five. But, if they tell the people that the government is reducing our interest share from thirty-five to twenty percent, they falsely carry the people away.”
Assurance
Dr Amin assured Ghanaians that the Akufo-Addo administration would make sure that it does what is better for Ghanaians in the oil and gas industry for the development of the good people of Ghana.
Michael Creg Afful is the Editor of energynewsafrica.com. He was adjudged the 2018 Best Energy Reporter Baker Hughes Commended For Supporting Accelerated Oil And Gas Capacity Programme
The Petroleum Commission has commended Baker Hughes/GE on its decision to train five Ghanaians to become internationally accredited and certified welders.
The training which is estimated at a cost of $250,000 is part of efforts to support the Accelerated Oil and Gas Capacity programme.
The programme is aimed at building the capacity of the Ghanaian youth by equipping them with the relevant skills set required for the upstream petroleum industry.
The 8-month to a year course in stainless steel welding, at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, will equip the beneficiaries on their return, with the capacity to train many more Ghanaians to support the industry.
The students are drawn from KIKAM, Takoradi Technical University and the Regional Maritime University.
They will benefit from a package, that caters for their tuition, visa, accommodation and transportation.
This effort is in response to a call made by the CEO of the Petroleum Commission, Mr Egbert Faibille Jnr. for Baker Hughes to support Ghana’s local content development efforts and the AOGCP; when a delegation led by the Vice
President responsible for Africa Operations, Ado Oseragbaje paid a courtesy call on the Commission, September last year.
This effort according to Egbert, will help reduce the Expatriate-Ghanaian ratio in the upstream petroleum industry.
In that meeting, the company assured the PC of its commitment to support the AOGC programme by hinting of an already existing training of about 100 Ghanaian students at an online digital academy at a cost of $6,000 each.
Mr Faibille Jnr. while commending also urged them to comply with the relevant laws which include L.I 2204 among others.
He also assured that with the path taken to invest in training Ghanaian welders, Baker Hughes will register its name in the annals of the Ghanaian upstream petroleum local content and localization efforts.
Source: petroleum commission
Ghana: Vice President Bawumia, MCC Delegation Discuss Regional Compact
Vice President Bawumia (fourth from right) with Ambassador Sullivan (fourth from left), Ms. Kim Kyeh (Centre), Charles Adu Boahene (Right) Deputy Minister of Finance and other Officials from MiDA and MCC.
Ghana’s Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has met with a five-member US Delegation, led by H.E. Stephanie Sullivan, the US Ambassador to Ghana.
The delegation comprised Madam Kyeh Kim, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Principal Deputy Vice President in charge of Compact Operations, Mr. Bryan Mabry, Deputy Vice President for Finance and Administration, Madam Alicia Robinson-Morgan, Managing Director for the Department of Compact Operations and Mrs. Elizabeth Feleke, Acting Resident Country Director for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), in the Jubilee House, Accra.
The visit was to discuss the Government of Ghana’s potential participation in a Regional Compact and to seek government’s assurance of support.
Ghana has been selected as a potential beneficiary of a Regional Compact Programme, on the back of the progress made in the implementation of the Power Compact, and the need to facilitate the effective distribution of excess power, available in Ghana, to needy neighbours, by strengthening and improving on existing transmission infrastructure.
The Vice President expressed appreciation to the US Government and the MCC for their consistency in supporting Ghana’s energy sector and overall development agenda.
He assured the delegation of government’s commitment to facilitating the processes that would ensure the success of MCC’s investments in energy, and, in particular, the potential Regional Compact that encompasses a new Ghana-Burkina Faso Transmission Line.
Ghana: BOST Approves Conditions Of Service For Staff After 12 Years Of Agitations
George Mensah Okley, Managing Director of BOST
Management of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company Limited in the West African country, Ghana, has finally put smiles on the faces its staff by signing into law a collective bargaining agreement between the company and the union after 12 years of unsuccessful attempts.
Staff of Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company limited have been crying for improved conditions of service for over 12 years now but the agitations of the workers came to an end on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, when the Board of BOST and the union reached an agreement which has been codified into a binding legal document that will stand the test of time for the next two years before a review.
The Board Chairman of BOST, Mr. Ekow Hackman in an interview commended the staff for their loyalty to the company and entreated them not to shy away from making known their concerns to the Board when necessary.
He stressed that “no company is worth dying for if workers’ rights are not protected and promoted.”
Mr. Ekow Hackman further promised the union of BOST that workers’ rights will be protected at the Board level as long as he remains the Board Chairman of BOST.
Mr. Ekow Hackman again urged the leadership of the Union of BOST to ensure that they hold the highest work ethics that will inure to the benefit of the company as they have done all these years.
The Managing Director of BOST, Mr. George Mensah Okley who enjoys widespread support among his workers, particularly the Union was excited that at long last, the collective bargaining agreement between BOST and that of the Union has been codified into a binding legal document.
He reiterated his extreme happiness that “for the first time in 12 years, there is now a staff welfare contract between BOST and its workers.”
“Even though this document has been signed which is binding for the next two years, I will be happy to review it in the course of two years if the need arises,” he assured the Union.
Meanwhile, it is believed that the collective bargaining agreement which has been signed between BOST and its workers is subject for review every two years.
The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) which was incorporated in December 1993 as a private limited liability company with the Government of Ghana as the sole shareholder, the workers suffered over 12 years without conditions of service.
Until May 2001, BOST was responsible for the distribution of refined petroleum products from its strategic depots located throughout the country.
Additionally, BOST also holds the Natural Gas Transmission Utility License granted to it by the Ghana Energy Commission (EC) on December 19th, 2012.
The NGTU as per EC Act 541, 1997, will provide transmission and interconnection services for natural gas without discrimination throughout the country.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
Ghana: Oil Worker Attempts Suicide On FPSO Nkrumah
Workers on board FPSO Kwame Nkrumah in the Western Region of the Republic of Ghana are still in a state of shock after a man identified as a South African national allegedly attempted suicide on the oil vessel on Tuesday, June 18.
It is unclear what might have triggered the suicide attempt but a source on board the FPSO told Takoradi based Empire FM, the South African jumped from the vessel into the waters.
The unpleasant situation was quickly brought to the attention of the Offshore Installation Manager (OIM) and other top managers who quickly called in the divers to save the said man.
The divers with the assistance of some tugboats around managed to resuscitate the foreign national.
He has since been medevacked to West African Rescue Association (WARA) health facility in Accra for proper medical attention.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
Ghana: Remove All Taxes On LPG If It Can’t Be Subsidised – LPG Marketers Association Urges Gov’t
Vice Chairman of the LPG Marketers Association, Mr. Gabriel Kumi
Government has been urged to overlook taxing Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) if it is to realize its quest of ensuring a sizeable number of Ghanaians have access to the product for domestic, commercial and industrial consumption in some time to come.
According to the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM), which is the implementation model for the National LPG Policy government envisages that at least 50% of Ghanaians should have access to safe, clean and environmentally-friendly LPG for domestic, commercial and industrial usage by 2030.
However, the Vice Chairman of the LPG Marketers Association, Mr. Gabriel Kumi, has said in view of the saturated market of the product, the only way to increase use is by creating access for new users.
“Unfortunately,” he stated, “new users have been priced out of the market, thus not being able to afford the product”. He therefore suggested that consideration should be given to removing all taxes from the product if government is not ready to subsidise it to create affordability.
The removal of taxes, he insisted, will significantly bring down the cost of the LPG and make it possible for the ordinary Ghanaian to afford it.
Mr. Kumi was speaking at the second edition of the 2019 regional stakeholder engagements of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in Kumasi, and revealed that the LPG Marketers Association intends to mount pressure to see this is done.
He also opined that implementation of CRM will take a while to bolster the numbers employed in the sector, until consumption of the LPG increases.
“We have to ensure that the current 6,500 people that are employed in the sector are very fully absorbed, so that in when consumption starts going up it can boost the workforce,” he stated.
The regional stakeholder engagements are aimed at interfacing with the public on implementation of the cylinder recirculation model for the distribution of LPG.
The Chief Executive Officer of NPA, Mr. Alhassan Tampuli, in addressing the gathering among others reiterated that the policy seeks to develop a market-driven structure to ensure safety, increased access and adoption of LPG; and to enhance the capacity of existing regulatory institutions in order to enforce the new market structure’s regulatory requirements.
It is also to “ensure the existence of robust and standard Health, Safety and Environmental practices in the production, marketing and consumption of LPG; and ensure the sustainability of supply” among others.
He said the “Cylinder Recirculation model of LPG distribution will be implemented fully”, adding that the relevant licences will be issued and safety protocols will be keenly observed to ensure safety of the public.
He stated that a number of consultations have been done with various stakeholders, and efforts continue to ensure that others across the country are engaged.
Mr. Tampuli further noted that among the things earmarked for implementation of the CRM is included: risk assessment of LPG facilities in 66-second cycle schools in the country; compliance monitoring of all assessed LPG refilling outlets, second cycle school facilities, and selected facilities in the value chain.
There are also plans to convert high-risk stations into cylinder distribution/exchange points, and undertake capacity building for NPA HSSE staff and industry groups on safety issues among others.
You will agree with me that over the years Ghana’s petroleum downstream industry has witnessed a number of unfortunate accidents as a result of the misuse and inappropriate handling of petroleum products, especially Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
The issue of safety has been high on the agenda of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government, and this has culminated in introduction and implementation of the Cylinder Recirculation Model for LPG.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Simon Osei Mensah, while commending the NPA for the stakeholder engagement series on the CRM, assessing the expectations of consumers, identifying Investment among others, also said it will facilitate an all-inclusive implementation.
He said it will also “help meet government’s goal of ensuring at least 50% accessibility to safe and environmentally-friendly LPG by the year 2030”.
The Regional Minister said there is a need to “implement the policy and assess how it solves the peculiar needs of the industry and consumers as a whole”.
Source: B&FT
Puma Energy Grabs Three Health and Safety Awards
Officials of Puma Energy receiving the awards
Puma Energy, the global integrated midstream and downstream energy company with a local focus, has swept not one, but three awards at the 2019 HESS Awards which celebrates business leaders in Health and Safety nationwide.
The multiple award-winning energy company has won the awards for HSSE CEO of the Year, CSR Excellence and Road Safety Education – all three awards demonstrating a clear commitment to leading the way in spreading safety culture to the wider society.
Mr. Yahaya Yunusa, the Managing Director of Puma Energy Distribution Ghana limited, was recognized as HSSE CEO of the Year 2019 for his relentless focus on ensuring that the company upholds the highest safety standards in all its operations, be it in aviation, B2B, bunkering, lubricants or retail at its 80-plus service stations nationwide.
Receiving his award, Mr. Yunusa expressed gratitude for the recognition and encouraged his team to continue to uphold the high safety standards that Puma Energy emphasizes.
“I am sincerely grateful for the acknowledgement. Indeed, this is a testament to the safety culture we uphold at Puma Energy. I am proud to have led such a team of dedicated individuals to achieve outstanding results in the area of health and safety across all our operations and initiatives. I also extend this award to our transporters, retail partners, suppliers and customers who have complied with our safety regulations to date,” said Mr. Yunusa.
Upon Puma Energy’s receipt of the Excellence in CSR and Road Safety Education Awards, the Brand, Events and Communications Officer, Ms. Laura Asimeng, had the following to say:
“At Puma Energy, we are all about fuelling Ghanaian journeys, and this is something that we intend to do safely at all times.
“It however does not end with us – we are passionate about spreading our safety culture to the wider public. With Road Safety NGO AMEND and the Rotaract club for example, we provided road crossing infrastructure to the schools in Agbogbloshie and North Legon; with our Transporters, we hold quarterly road safety quizzes to ensure they are on top of road safety knowledge. We leave no stone unturned in ensuring all we interact with are ‘Puma Safe’”, said Ms. Asimeng.
The HESS Awards are organised by IanMatSun Global Services Limited, organisers of the Sustainability and Social Investment Awards in partnership with Firmus Advisory, a leading research company in Ghana.
The HESS awards were created to celebrate companies for their exceptional performance and innovation focused on occupational safety, security and the environment.
Puma Energy is no stranger to the world of delivering high standards. Winner of the Emerging Brand of the Year and Lubricant Product of the Year Awards at the Ghana Oil and Gas Awards, Puma Energy does not falter in delivering excellence to its customers and communities alike.
With over 15 years in developing robust health and safety systems worldwide, Puma Energy strives to deliver petroleum products to its customers swiftly, safely and reliably at an affordable price.
The HESS Awards are organised by IanMatSun Global Services Limited, organisers of the Sustainability and Social Investment Awards in partnership with Firmus Advisory, a leading research company in Ghana.
The HESS awards were created to celebrate companies for their exceptional performance and innovation focused on occupational safety, security and the environment.
Puma Energy is no stranger to the world of delivering high standards. Winner of the Emerging Brand of the Year and Lubricant Product of the Year Awards at the Ghana Oil and Gas Awards, Puma Energy does not falter in delivering excellence to its customers and communities alike.
With over 15 years in developing robust health and safety systems worldwide, Puma Energy strives to deliver petroleum products to its customers swiftly, safely and reliably at an affordable price.
Breaking News: One Dead In Dawhenya Filling Station Explosion
The deceased being covered
One person is reported dead this morning, following a minor explosion at Runel Petro and Gas Filling Station at Dawhenya, in the Prampram District in the Greater Accra Region.
The victim, 47 year old Anthony Ahiabu, who is a worker at the filling station, met his untimely death at about 6am Tuesday, June 18, 2019.
An eyewitness, who spoke to energynewsafrica.com, said the victim was cooking in a building, which houses the staff, close to the filling station.
He said the station took delivery of gas from a tanker into their storage tank “and when the driver finished discharging the fuel, he pulled the pump but unfortunately some amount of gas from the pump traced the fire to the room, thereby, sparking fire.”
According to him, the timely intervention of personnel of the Ghana Fire Service saved the situation from escalating.
Tema Regional Fire Service Operations Officer DOII William Blankson told energynewsafrica.com that they have commenced investigations into the matter.
Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Tema general hospital morgue awaiting autopsy.
Centurion Group To List On Leading Europe’s Stock Exchange
File photo
South Africa based Centurion Law Group, an energy advisory firm, is set to become the first African legal energy advisory firm to be publicly listed on Europe’s leading stock exchange this year.
The law firm announced this in a statement copied to energynewsafrica.com.
The feat would represent a natural step for Centurion, given the group’s solid marker share within the oil and gas sector in sub-Saharan Africa and its increased activity.
Last year, the statement said Centurion engaged the services of IMANI-African lawyers on demand to establish Centurion Plus, as Africa’s leading flexible legal services model that would offer cost savings and efficient flexible legal services across the continent.
Through Centurion Plus, corporate clients throughout the continent can select from a pool of about 190 thoroughly vetted, on-demand attorneys for temporary and project-based legal services.
According to the statement, NY Ayuk, CEO of Centurion, said: “Centurion has always differentiated itself by its ability to adapt to change, get the deal done and being pan-African and pro-African.
“The African legal market has changed a lot and we are proud to be a leader for legal transformations in Africa.
“We are looking forward at being listed in a few months and are truly excited about this new phase of growth for the company and our clients.”
Ghana: I’m Stabilizing The Power Sector– Energy Minister
John-Peter Amewu
The Minister for Energy in the West African nation, Ghana, John-Peter Amewu, has told the chiefs and people of Hohoe in the Volta Region that he is working hard to ensure stability in power supply in the country.
Mr Amewu said although there are a few challenges facing the energy sector, the government is working hard to ensure that those problems are resolved.
He made the comments when he accompanied the Minister of Health, Mr Kweku Agyeman-Manu to pay a courtesy call on the chiefs and traditional leaders of the Gbi Traditional Area, Hohoe.
“I am trying to stabilize the lights though there is still a problem but I am working toward that,” he announced.
The country started experiencing shortfalls in power supply a few months back but the problem was tackled.
Source: ClassFMonline.com
Total To Renew Libyan License
Total plans to renew its business licenses in Libya according to a new Reuters report.
The French firm’s continued operations in the country is contingent on the renewal of the licenses.
In the case that the licenses are not renewed, there will be several oil companies waiting to take over within 24 hours, according to the Tripoli-based Minister of Economy, Ali Issawi.
The renewal initiative that included 39 other firms came after the suspensions of their expired licenses, however, the ministry allowed a three-month grace period for renewals.
Issawi denied the move had a political motive, saying that some firms were operating without a license for a long time.
Oil firms are not the only ones whose licenses are under threat, firms like Thales, Siemens, and Nokia all need to renew their business licenses.
Senyo Hosi Dedicates Outstanding Oil and Gas CEO Award To CBOD Members
Mr. Senyo Hosi, CEO of CBOD
Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distribution Company (CBOD), Senyo Hosi, has dedicated a recent award for his contribution to the oil and gas industry, to all the members of his team at the chamber.
Mr Hosi was honoured with the Outstanding Chief Executive Officer of the Year 2018 award, at the ninth Ghana Entrepreneurs and Corporate Executives Award held in Accra.
He was recognized for demonstrating outstanding corporate vision, business excellence, innovation, strategic leadership and growth in the downstream petroleum sector.
Mr Hosi was not present at the event but his assistant, Emily Kayi received the award in his stead.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic newspaper in a later interview after the awards ceremony, Mr Hosi said, “I think it is in recognition of my work on ESLA, my policy contributions, [and] advisory work and that stability and objectivity.”
He added the recognition was refreshing and a boost for him and his team to do their work quietly.
The awards ceremony is organized annually to celebrate the sterling contributions of key personalities in various sectors of Ghana’s economy.
PROFILE
Senyo Hosi is a Ghanaian thought leader, finance and economic policy analyst and experienced management professional with years of experience in the downstream petroleum industry and across other sectors.
He is also a renowned industry advocate and has been instrumental in the development of major policies in Ghana’s energy sector.
Senyo Hosi in 2018 received the Osagyefo Young Leadership Award and in 2016, the Most Outstanding Oil and Gas Personality (Downstream).
Mr Hosi holds an MBA in Finance and an MA in Economic Policy Management from the University of Ghana, Legon.
He serves on a number of corporate and public boards including the Private Enterprises Foundation (PEF), the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA), Legacy Bonds Limited (LBL) and NDK Capital Ltd.
Pan African University For Water And Energy Opens 2019 Admission
| The Pan African University for Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES) in the North African country, Algeria, has opened admission for students who wish to enroll and pursue its two years Masters programs this year. Located in Tlemcen, Algeria, PAUWES, provides higher education and applied research in the fields of water, energy and climate change – an important contribution to sustainable development in Africa. The admission process for Master programs in water and energy (both engineering and policy tracks) starting in September 2019 is now open. All AU citizens (including diaspora) are encouraged to apply, particularly women and candidates from Southern, Central, and Northern Africa PRESS RELEASE |
| Pan African University, educating a new generation of Pan-African En-trepreneurial Solutioners: 2019 Student Call now open |
| The Pan African University Institute for Water and Energy Sciences including Climate Change (PAUWES) hosting students from 34 African countries, is offering four distinct two-year Master programs |
| TLEMCEN, Algeria, June 17, 2019/ — The Pan African University Institute for Water and Energy Sciences including Climate Change (PAUWES) (www.PAUWES.dz) in Tlemcen, Algeria provides higher education and applied research in the fields of water, energy and climate change – an important contribution to sustainable development in Africa. The admission process for its Master programs in water and energy (both engineering and policy tracks) starting in September 2019 is now open. All AU citizens (including diaspora) are encouraged to apply, particularly women and candidates from Southern, Central, and Northern Africa. Building a prosperous and stable Africa calls for a new generation of African leaders capable of and committed to facing the vast challenges of the continent. These challenges include water scarcity, renewable energy, and climate change. The Pan African University (PAU), a key initiative of the African Union Commission, is dedicated to this mission. The Pan African University Institute for Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES) is hosted by the University of Tlemcen in Algeria. Since its establishment in 2014, 278 students from 34 countries across Africa have enrolled, and by now 152 students have been successfully graduated from its programs. “PAUWES is a prototype of the Africa of tomorrow, for which we are laying the foundations,” said Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, during his official visit to PAUWES in 2018. PAUWES benefits from the support of the host country of Algeria and the key and thematic partner Germany. “United in our diversity, proud of the Pan African University as a symbol of Africa United. Diversity and Pan Africanism are our strength” Said Prof. Zerga during the Africa Day celebration 2019. Today, PAUWES offers four distinct two-year Master programs. Students striving to be future engineers have the choice between the Master of Science (MSc) in Water Engineering and the MSc in Energy Engineering. Students interested in policy-making and governance can choose between the MSc in Water Policy and Energy Policy. PAUWES recently revised the curricula to ensure that the study programmes are practice-oriented and students obtain the skills needed to tackle the challenges of the future.). The language of instruction is English, and students have the opportunity to study French at the onset of the program. PAUWES strives to balance theory and practice through national, continental and international internships, case studies, and field trips. To provide the students with specific technical skills in their field of interest, PAUWES offers electives (e.g. solar, wind, geothermal and biomass energies, water and sanitation, integrated water resource management, policy analysis or leadership). Graduates benefit from career pathways in public administration, policy-making, research, private enterprise, consulting and civil society. Access to the Institute’s international expert network, research partnerships, career-promotion programs and the forthcoming entrepreneurship centre further boosts the graduates’ profiles. The Career Services Support at PAUWES aims to “not only to graduate the best of Africa. We are supporting the students to become the best graduates FOR Africa”, said Dr. Amazigh Dib, Private Sector Coordinator PAUWES is committed to support its students to participate in international competitions s such as the Schneider GoGreen competition and programmes such as at the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (https://bit.ly/29xGqbT), Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) Entrepreneurship Programme as well as UN conferences. Student initiatives such as the participation in the as Solar Decathlon competition are highly welcomed at the institute in Algeria Under the framework of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, PAUWES places a special emphasis on recruiting and empowering female students. In the 2018 student’s selection a 50 ratio has been achieved The Institute facilitates women-focused networking events and workshops to empower young female Africans. To further develop its vision of diversity, PAUWES also encourages applicants with disabilities and candidates from under-represented regions (Southern Africa, Central Africa, Northern Africa) to apply. All PAUWES students receive full scholarships (covering tuition and living expenses) following a competitive admission process. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Pan African University, the Institute for Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES). Media Contact: General media enquiries Ms. Khadidja Bousmaha, Communication Officer PAUWES c/o Abou Bekr Belkaid University of Tlemcen B.P. 119, 13000 Tlemcen, Algeria Email: [email protected] Phone +213 540 34 43 63 Tel: +213 43 41 35 |
Australian Upstream Regulator Okays ExxonMobil’s Drilling Plan For Gippsland Basin
An environment plan by US oil and gas giant ExxonMobil for its exploration drilling campaign at the VIC/P70 offshore Australia has been accepted by Australian regulator NOPSEMA.
ExxonMobil submitted a revised environment plan for exploration drilling in the Gippsland basin, 90 kilometers off the East Gippsland Victorian coast, Australia, to include the ultra-deepwater Sculpin-1 well in February 2019.
Following several requests for further information by the regulator, the plan was accepted on Monday, June 17, 2019.
The VIC/P70 exploration drilling operational area is located approximately 90 -100 km from shore in Exploration Permit Area VIC/P70. Water depth within VIC/P70 ranges from 200 m to over 3 km, with the drill locations, Hairtail-1, Baldfish-1 and Sculpin-1, at about 359m, 665m, and 2,300m, respectively. Block VIC/P70, in the deepwater Gippsland basin, was acquired by Esso Deepwater, a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, in 2Q 2017.
VIC/P70 contains the Dory, Angel and Archer-Anemone fields, as well as the Fangtooth prospect, and incorporates the area previously the subject of blocks VIC/P45 and VIC/P59, previously explored by Apache.
According to NOPSEMA, exploration drilling activities in the VIC/P70 operational area are scheduled over an estimated 60-day period, starting in 3Q 2018 (Baldfish-1 and Hairtail-1), and an estimated 75 days in late 3Q – early 4Q 2019 for Sculpin-1.
The VIC/P70 exploration drilling operational area is located approximately 90 -100 km from shore in Exploration Permit Area VIC/P70. Water depth within VIC/P70 ranges from 200 m to over 3 km, with the drill locations, Hairtail-1, Baldfish-1 and Sculpin-1, at about 359m, 665m, and 2,300m, respectively. Block VIC/P70, in the deepwater Gippsland basin, was acquired by Esso Deepwater, a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, in 2Q 2017.
VIC/P70 contains the Dory, Angel and Archer-Anemone fields, as well as the Fangtooth prospect, and incorporates the area previously the subject of blocks VIC/P45 and VIC/P59, previously explored by Apache.
According to NOPSEMA, exploration drilling activities in the VIC/P70 operational area are scheduled over an estimated 60-day period, starting in 3Q 2018 (Baldfish-1 and Hairtail-1), and an estimated 75 days in late 3Q – early 4Q 2019 for Sculpin-1.