Jump to navigation

Vol 38 No 7

Published 28th March 1997


Going with the flow

West Africa is becoming the most important region for oil exports after the Middle East and is beginning to exploit its gas

Exports of crude oil from Sub-Saharan Africa are set to grow fast in the next few years. Production was just under 3.5 million barrels a day in 1996; capacity in the year 2000 will reach almost 5 mn. b/d. The upward trend should continue, as producers move out of the shallow coastal waters and (if the geologists are right) start exploiting deeper offshore fields. Most of the activity is in West Africa and oil ministers, oil companies and bankers are meeting in Accra(1) from 2-4 April to work out how to manage the new oil rush. Also under discussion will be the agreement between the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and Chevron, signed last month, for the sale and purchase of gas from the offshore Mefa and Okan fields as part of the West African gas pipeline project.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 1077 words.

End of preview

Subscribers: Log in now to read the complete article.

Account Holders: Log in now and use your Account Credit to buy this article. No Credit? Top up your Account now.


If you are logged in, but still cannot access the full text of this article, email customer services or telephone us on +44(0)1638 743633.