Several West African countries are seeking new investment and new players for their offshore acreage this week in Houston at IBC's West and Central Africa Oil & Gas 2003 conference. From Cote d'Ivoire, Leon Monnet, minister of mines and energy, emphasized the state's desire to continue development of its offshore resources and the need to develop and use existing natural gas discoveries to industrialize the economy. The government desires to use the gas for power generation and natural gas liquids for domestic uses.
Monnet stressed that the conflict of September 2002 is over and that the country is rebuilding the peace. He also stressed that the oil sector was only lightly affected by the crisis and is ready for expansion.
Cote d'Ivoire has three fields producing 34,000 b/d and the government is seeking to develop all of its 28 blocks. Twelve are under license, but 16 blocks are available for bidder consideration. Targets exist in both shallow depths and deepwater on Albian age highs formed from tilted fault blocks. Downstream projects are also available including two major pipelines, natural gas distribution systems, LNG/LPG trains, liquids extraction, and factories.
Cameroon is also in the process of developing its natural gas resources. Chief Tabetando, general manager of EurOil Ltd., reviewed the Sanaga Sud field, which EurOil is negotiating to develop. The field has 900 bcf in estimated gas reserves and is suitable for a gas-to-liquids project.
Branch Russel of Syntroleum explained the concept being considered. The GTL plant would be built on a concrete barge that would sit in a man-made cut onshore. A 15 km pipeline would connect the plant to the field in the MLHP 4 block, just offshore in 30 m water depth. In addition to the diesel and naptha produced from the GTL train, waste heat could be used for power generation. A similar export project will built on the Snøvit field at Melkøya Island off Hammerfest in northern Norway. A consortium led by Statoil is planning to export LNG by 2006.
06/10/03