In Kenya, the Commissioner for Petroleum, Martin Heya, has announced that Block 11B operator Adamantine Energy and its joint venture partner Bowleven will not be granted a licence extension. The commissioner did not disclose the reason but said the block is now unoccupied after the partners’ extension expired in June 2016 and will be put up for auction after the country advertises all vacant...

Eni has announced that it has successfully completed the drilling of the fifth well, Zohr 5x in the Zohr structure. According to the company, Zohr 5x was drilled to the final total depth of 4,350 m and confirmed the potential of the field at 30 Tcf OGIP. Located in 1,538 m of water depth and 12 km south west from the discovery well Zohr 1x, the well confirmed the presence of a carbonatic...

In Algeria, Abdelouahab Nouri, the Minister of Land Development, Tourism and Craftsmanship, on an inspection tour in the tourism expansion zones (ZET), complained about land grabbing which impaired the optimal implementation of the Parc des Grands Vents (Dounia Park) project in Algiers. The complex which was to become a recreation park with playing zones, green spaces and restaurants, has...

San Leon Energy Plc has announced that it has raised $221.4 million from the capital market to finance its procurement of a 9.72% indirect interest in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18, onshore Nigeria. According to the company, OML 18’s estimated gross proved and probable reserves are around 576 million barrels of oil, about 4.2 Tcf of gas while its gross 2C contingent resources are around 203...

Crude oil production by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reached its peak in August, as increased output from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf members offset production losses in Nigeria and Libya. Output from Saudi Arabia has possibly reached hit fresh record, as the kingdom meets its periodic higher domestic demand and focuses on upholding market share. According to...

FAR Ltd., on Thursday announced that the Minimum Economic Field Size for a commercial development has been achieved, confirming the commercial viability of the SNE oil field offshore Senegal.This is coming a week after the company announced the SNE Contingent Resources estimates have increased by 14% to 641 Mmbbls, certified by RISC. According to FAR, with the successful conclusion of the...

Royal Dutch Shell’s Forcados pipeline in Nigeria is expected to recommence shipments in September, according to Kola Karim, the CEO of Shoreline Group.“We are hearing Forcados is due to return at the middle of next month. It has been a tough situation for us these past couple of months,” he said. The Forcados pipeline system is one of the oil facilities attacked by militants this year. In...

Royal Dutch Shell has announced the discovery of a new natural gas well in the Alam El-Shawish concession area in Egypt’s western desert. According to Shell’s Chairman and CEO, Eden Murphy, initial quantity discovered from the well is estimated at around 500 billion cubic feet of gas with more possible reserves, thereby placing the new find among the largest natural gas discovered in the...

This year, cotton production in Togo could exceed 100,000 tons recorded during the 2014-2015 season. This was revealed by the Nouvelle Société Cotonnière du Togo (NSCT). The company said it should achieve its production goals for the season. To this end, it has sown 131,000 hectares out of 136,000 hectares expected by the end of the year. Considering its goal to produce 100,000 metric tons...

In Dakar last August 17, Chief of the mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Senegal, Ali Mansoor announced that Senegal’s economy should grow beyond 6% in 2016 and 2017. “We think growth this year and the next will be high. It should exceed 6% and reach about 6.5% in the next two years,” he said. The emissary said the increase would be effectively recorded only if the...