OIL

AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°623 - 03/03/2010 ANGOLA The World is Sonangol’s Oyster On the strength of its robust cash position, Angola managed to briefly overtake Nigeria as Africa’s leading oil producer last year and is now thinking in global terms. To be sure, the national oil company Sonangol is acquiring stakes in oil and gas projects across the globe and re-investing its profits in up-market real estate projects via its subsidiary China Sonangol. (...)  [631 words]  [$9.5] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°623 - 03/03/2010 NIGER Chinese In for a Rough Ride Africa Energy Intelligence understands that following the Feb. 18 coup d'etat that toppled president Mamadou Tandja most executives from the China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) took refuge in the Chinese embassy in Niamey and stayed until Feb. (...)  [331 words]  [$5.4] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°623 - 03/03/2010 ALGERIA Gulf Keystone Heads for Exits After six months of negotiations, Gulf Keystone finally resolved its dispute with BG on the Algerian license of Hassi Ba Hamou last month. (...)  [231 words]  [$5.4] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°623 - 03/03/2010 SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE Best Acreage for ERHC & Equator According to our sources, Britain’s Equator Exploration company has wholly acquired blocks 5 and 12 in Sao Tome’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). (...)  [210 words]  [$5.4] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°623 - 03/03/2010 GUINEA Last Chance for Hyperdynamics According to our sources, Guinea’s mines and oil minister, Mamadou Thiam, recently retained the French law firm Gide Loyrette Nouel to help it in talks with the American group Hyperdynamics. (...)  [274 words]  [FREE] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°623 - 03/03/2010 CONGO-K A Kabila Stalwart as Oil Boss The new oil minister, Celestin Mbuyu Kabango, who was appointed on Feb. 19, hails from the Katanga region like president Joseph Kabila, to whom he is close. (...)  [283 words]  [$5.4] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°623 - 03/03/2010 MOZAMBIQUE/SOUTH AFRICA Pipeline Lifts Pressure on Pretoria Mozambique’s leading private distribution company, Petromoc, signed an initial agreement on Feb. 19 with the California-based equity fund African Investment Fund (AIF) concerning the construction of a 650 km pipeline between Mozambique and South Africa. (...)  [242 words]  [$5.4] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°622 - 17/02/2010 AFRICA How Oil Groups Can Manage Your Money Lacking access to international banking circuits because of their functions, African presidents and government ministers often entrust oil companies with managing their personal assets. With easy access to capital markets, oil executives can open accounts, transfer money and make purchases, and thus win favor with the leaders for whom they act. (...)  [611 words]  [$9.5] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°622 - 17/02/2010 NIGERIA Shell Walks a Tightrope RoyalDutch/Shell is selling off its assets with extreme care in order to avoid giving the impression of pulling out of Nigeria. (...)  [220 words]  [$5.4] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°622 - 17/02/2010 LIBERIA Frank Timis’ Smoke & Mirrors Act Lacking the least asset in Africa, the Australian group Global Iron launched the takeover of African Petroleum Corporation, a firm owned by Franck Timis, on Feb. (...)  [296 words]  [$5.4] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°622 - 17/02/2010 NIGERIA Setting a Trap for Traffickers Every major company specializing in the fight against the theft of gasoline and other types of fuel is turning its attention to the Nigerian market at present. (...)  [227 words]  [$5.4] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°622 - 17/02/2010 EQUATORIAL GUINEA Gazprom’s Foot in Africa Door Africa Energy Intelligence understands that a number of senior officials from Equatorial Guinea recently paid a visit to the Moscow headquarters of GazpromNeft, the oil arm of Gazprom, to settle the final details of an exploration agreement. (...)  [328 words]  [$5.4] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°622 - 17/02/2010 CENTRAL AFRICA Total Plays its Cards As soon as the Ugandan government endorses the operation, Ireland’s Tullow Oil will sell 50% of its block 1 and 3 on the banks of Lake Albert to the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and to Total, making them minority stakeholders on the acreage. (...)  [163 words]  [$5.4] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°622 - 17/02/2010 CONGO-K Kinshasa Tries to Lure ENI Back Executives from the Italian majorENI will be received in Kinshasa in coming weeks by Clement Mubiayi Nkashma, an adviser to president Joseph Kabila who handles the mines, energy and oil brief. (...)  [293 words]  [FREE] AFRICA ENERGY INTELLIGENCE  n°621 - 03/02/2010 CHAD An Oil Tug-of-War with Brussels Although it became an oil producer seven years ago, Chad still hasn’t been able to sell its share of crude on international markets. Africa Energy Intelligence understands that the European Union, which financed a significant part of the oil pipeline between the Doba fields and Kribi through the intermediary of the European Investment Bank (EIB), is working to prevent Chad from managing the oil alone. (...)  [688 words]  [$9.5]   AEI  n°623 - 03/03/2010 KENYA Africa Oil Spreads its Wings In early February, the Canadian concern Africa Oil signed an agreement with fellow (...)  [75 words]  [$1.8] AEI  n°623 - 03/03/2010 CONGO-K EnerGulf Puts Out Call to Israelis The American firm EnerGulf Resources, which is exploring in the Congolese block (...)  [119 words]  [$1.8] AEI  n°622 - 17/02/2010 MOROCCO New Acreage Awarded Since February 1 two new companies have been awarded exploration blocks in Moro (...)  [119 words]  [$1.8] AEI  n°622 - 17/02/2010 GUINEA Countdown for Hyperdynamics According to our sources, Guinea's mines and energy minister Mahmoud Thiam has consulted (...)  [120 words]  [$1.8] AEI  n°622 - 17/02/2010 RWANDA Vangold Becomes Vanoil To clearly separate its mining operations from its oil interests, the Canadian concern (...)  [72 words]  [$1.8]