Ghana Energy

Annual figures for Ghana’s nascent hydrocarbons sector – which has spurred a wave of capital spending in the country in recent years – have come in for 2011, bringing with them mixed news. While production levels fell short of expectations, output is expected to rise closer to targets within the next 18 months as technical adjustments begin to pay off.

Encouraged by the rapid development of its nascent oil sector – which began production in record time and helped push GDP growth up to 13.6% in 2011 – Ghana is hoping to cash in equally as quickly on its natural gas reserves but is still navigating the sizeable infrastructural hurdles that need to be overcome in the short term.

For a country that a few years ago was pumping less than 1000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), Ghana’s upstream oil and gas industry has undergone a massive change. As it begins only its second year of production, Ghana’s oil segment is poised to earn GHS1.24bn ($827.85m) in revenue in 2012, while accelerating activity in the gas sector in the coming months will help improve both the sustainability of the hydrocarbons industry as well as the country’s balance sheet.

An economy in full growth brings myriad benefits to a country but does have the potential to strain existing resources and infrastructure – as Ghana is finding out. Increasing urbanisation, combined with a rise in primary sector activity and planned industrial expansion have emphasised the need for additional electricity generation capacity in Ghana, prompting the government to adopt a multi-pronged approach to boost supply.

After months of anticipation, Ghana has joined the ranks of oil-producing nations. As the oil pumps get up to speed, so are the West African country’s plans for the newfound income.