Page 12 - AsianOil Week 50 2020

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for the project, which envisions the construction of
a thermal power plant (TPP) and associated trans-
mission infrastructure in Temane, while the OPEC
Fund for International Development will make up
to $50mn available.
When finished, the TPP will have a generating
capacity of 450 MW. It will burn gas from the Pan-
de-Temane Inhassoro fields, which are being devel-
oped by South Africa’s Sasol.
If you’d like to read more about the key events shaping
Africa’s oil and gas sector then please click here for
NewsBase’s AfrOil Monitor.

DMEA: Nigeria’s unfulfilled gas potential
Nigeria needs to make more use of its abundant
gas resources, in order to bring down energy
costs, lower its emissions and spur economic
growth, Nigeria LNG (NLNG) CEO Tony Attah
said at a conference last week.
While Nigeria is better known as Africa’s
biggest oil producer, it also holds 200 trillion
feet (5.4 trillion cubic metres) of proven natural
gas. According to Attah, “it’s about time Nigeria
really takes advantage of this resource.” The bloc will now strive towards a 55% reduction
NLNG’s LNG terminal on Bonny Island can in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 ver-
produce up to 22.5mn tonnes per year (tpy) sus the level in 1990. This compares with a pre-
of LNG. The consortium last year took a final vious aim of 40%.
investment decision (FID) on adding a seventh The deeper cut will require major changes in
train and de-bottlenecking the project, which the energy and transport sectors, the European
should expand its output to 30mn tpy in 2024. Commission has said, as well as the mass retrofit
Both the consortium and the government of buildings to make them energy-efficient and
have complained about the country’s slow pace able to charge electric vehicles (EVs). Invest-
in growing its LNG export capacity. The coun- ment will be most significant in countries that
try was the world’s fourth-biggest LNG exporter currently have a higher reliance on fossil fuels.
until last year, when it moved down to fifth posi- While wealthier states such as France and
tion after being replaced by the US. Germany that already boast significant clean
“We have to set our sights on trains eight, nine energy capacity supported tougher action,
and 10,” Attah said. coal-dependent countries in Europe’s east such
The NLNG head also called for Nigeria to as Poland and the Czech Republic initially came
expand its use of gas at home, in areas ranging out against the proposal. In exchange for its
from petrochemicals and power generation to support, Poland secured a pledge for EU fund-
motor transport and home cooking. ing to help it transition towards clean energy.
In other news over the past week, Kuwait has The country currently generates some 80% of
brought on stream its largest crude distillation its power by burning coal, and its renewables
unit (CDU) at the Mina Abdullah refinery. The sector has stagnated in recent years because of
unit was launched as part of Kuwait’s Clean Fuels unfavourable policies.
Project (CFP), which involves the upgrade of the It was also agreed that the goal would be col-
Mina Abdullah and Mina Al Ahmadi refineries lective, meaning not all individual countries will
to increase their output and create cleaner and have to achieve such a significant reduction.
higher-value products. Meanwhile in the UAE, In news elsewhere, Austria’s OMV is push-
state-owned ADNOC launched a second trading ing ahead with its divestment programme, this
arm focused on refined products. week striking a deal to sell a network of 285
filling stations in southern Germany to the
If you’d like to read more about the key events shaping UK’s EG Group for €485mn ($588mn). The
the downstream sector of Africa and the Middle East, stations are situated in the states of Bavaria and
then please click here for NewsBase’s DMEA Monitor. Baden-Wuerttemberg. OMV also has a refinery
in Burghausen in Bavaria but the plant is mostly
EurOil: EU takes tougher climate action focused on petrochemicals rather than motor
EU leaders agreed on tougher climate goals on fuels, and there is “only a very limited degree of
December 11 following some 10 hours of talks, integration” with its fuel retail business in the
overcoming opposition from certain members. area.

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 50 17•December•2020