African Mining November 2019 | Page 53

According to Maurel & Prom’s CEO, Michel Hochard the acquisition of stakes in two shallow-water blocks expands the group’s presence in Angola and is a signifi cant step in the company’s growth strategy. Source: Macauhub AFRICA’S FIRST LNG STORAGE PLANT The construction of the fi rst liquefi ed natural gas (LNG) storage and regasifi cation plant in West Africa is currently underway. The plant will be situated at the Port of Akonikien on the country’s mainland which will facilitate the transportation and storage of LNG from the country's LNG plant at the Punta Europa Gas Complex on Bioko Island, to Akonikien on the southern border of the mainland. The project is the fi rst gas-to-power development in Equatorial Guinea’s LNG2Africa initiative and aims to advance eff orts in monetising gas resources through the production of a domestic gas-to-power infrastructure. Source: ESI Africa CHINESE INVEST USD16- BILLION IN NIGERIAN OIL According to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) Group Managing Director, Malla Mele Kyari, Chinese investments in the oil and gas industry of Nigeria have reached USD16-billion. Malla addressed the management of China National Off shore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) by saying, “To have an investment of USD16-billion in Nigeria is clearly an indication of your confi dence in us. We have a target to grow production to 3 million barrels per day by 2023, to do that, we need partners like you. You can count on us because we have common interest.” Source: Africa Business Communities NEW OIL FIELD DISCOVERED IN SOUTH SUDAN A consortium led by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has discovered 300 million barrels in recoverable oil in South Sudan’s northeastern Upper Nile state. This discovery is said to be equivalent to the Oyo discovery announced earlier this month in Congo. The exploration well was drilled at a total depth of 1 320m near the Adar oilfi eld in Block 3. Earlier this year, South Sudan signed an exploration and production sharing agreement (EPSA) with South Africa’s Strategic Fuel Fund for the highly prospective Block B2 as part of the country’s strategy to diversify its basket of investors and encourage further exploration. Source: Africa Business Communities  www. africanmining.co.za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining  November 2019  51