Page 4 - AfrOil Week 31 2022

AfrOil COMMENTARY AfrOil

Senegal and Mauritania are part of the MSGBC basin
West Africa’s newest gas

producers need infrastructure

Senegal and Mauritania, which aim to launch the first phase of gas production at the GTA block next

year, are rich in resources but poor in infrastructure. Now is the time to change that, writes NJ Ayuk

BENEATH the coastal waters of Senegal and altogether at the close of 2017.
neighboring Mauritania lie some of the largest The question of how to exploit these new
WHAT: oil and natural gas discoveries in recent history, reserves, especially considering that they cross
Senegal and Mauritania most occurring between 2014 and 2017. More international boundaries, is being answered
possess sizeable natural than 1bn barrels of oil and 40 trillion cubic feet in part through partnership. The complexities
gas reserves. (1.13 trillion cubic metres) of natural gas await inherent to fossil fuel ownership claims were
extraction. addressed and amicably resolved in 2018 when
WHY: These discoveries have reinvigorated indus- the two countries agreed to the terms of the
Lack of infrastructure try interest in the Senegal-Mauritanian basin. Inter-State Co-operation Agreement that delin-
will complicate efforts to Despite the vast potential, though, understand- eated equal shares of the offshore resources. The
develop the gas. ing how to turn it into a significant production governments and the local workforces are ready
hub is still evolving. Previous attempts to mone- for progress. They are eager to see the various
WHAT NEXT: tise smaller finds have foundered. fields in this zone operating at their highest
Decisive action will put Production levels at regional facilities have capacity.
these West African states declined over the last decade. While Sene- However, a lack of existing infrastructure
in a better position to
optimise the use of their gal’s consistently low-volume Gadiaga project means that developing these projects will be a
natural resources. remains in operation, at Mauritania’s Deep- considerable undertaking requiring serious
water Chinguetti project, production ceased investment from committed partners.

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