Energy

The role of locally-owned firms in Nigeria’s oil sector is expected to expand further in coming years, even as international producers move away from onshore and littoral fields. However, there are some who query if the local industry is ready to take the step up.

With plentiful supplies of natural gas, Qatar has over the years looked for alternatives to its liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, from investments in industrial facilities to value-added processing. One increasingly viable option is the manufacturing of gas-to-liquid (GTL) products, which are enjoying growing demand by the global marketplace.

The start of production at a concession in Egypt’s Nile Delta basin by a German firm has come as welcome news, an indication of the sizable potential offered by the country’s offshore blocks. With local consumption growing, the North African state is looking to balance the need to expand output to meet domestic gas demand while at the same time fulfilling its long-term external commitments.

Contrairement à l'Algérie voisine, dont l'économie repose depuis longtemps sur les vastes réserves d'hydrocarbures, le Maroc reste fortement tributaire de ses importations de brut et de gaz pour stimuler la croissance. Pourtant, les investisseurs manifestent un intérêt accru pour les réserves d'hydrocarbures offshore du royaume, largement inexplorées, attirés par différents facteurs.

Kenya’s run of geologic luck continues, following the announcement of the country’s fourth consecutive discovery of oil by the UK's Tullow Oil and Canada's Africa Oil. Similarly, while activity in the natural gas sector is proceeding at a slower pace, following the recent departure of one explorer, the outlook for new finds is promising.