Page 4 - AfrOil Week 47 2021

AfrOil COMMENTARY AfrOil

EW&P’s CEO Ingvil Smines Tybring-Gjedde (L) at African Energy Week
A new business proposition

for IOCs working in Africa

Norway’s EW&P shows interest in helping Africa’s oil-producing states

use associated gas to power data centres on offshore drilling platforms

INTERNATIONAL oil companies (IOCs) But there are also entrepreneurial reasons to
working in Africa have compelling reasons do so. Norway’s Earth Wind & Power (EW&P)
WHAT: to go beyond the scope of their core activities is hoping to open up a new avenue of opportu-
EW&P has signed letters and make economic contributions to their host nity for IOCs to support the establishment of
of intent (LoIs) with countries and host communities. new data centres in Africa. If its plan comes to
several African states on Some of these reasons are legal or regulatory fruition, it could help strengthen the continent’s
offshore data centres. in nature – for example, local-content laws that digital infrastructure while also reducing asso-
require investors to create a certain number of ciated gas flaring and laying the groundwork for
WHY: jobs for local workers or award a certain per- future renewable energy projects.
These data centres centage of contracts to local companies. Others
would be powered with fall under the political or diplomatic umbrella – EW&P’s plan
associated gas that might
otherwise be flared. for example, subsidies for job training and edu- EW&P’s CEO Ingvil Smines Tybring-Gjedde
cation initiatives in host communities that have outlined her company’s plans in an interview
WHAT NEXT: a history of opposition to oil and gas projects (or with DataCenterDynamics.com (DCD) that
These projects could help to the governments that sign the contracts for was published on November 23. She indicated
bolster Africa’s techno- oil and gas projects). Others can be traced back that EW&P was ready to help African oil pro-
logical infrastructure to public relations campaigns or demands from ducers explore the possibility of establishing
while also supporting activist shareholders – for example, investments data centres on offshore oil platforms and using
the energy transition and in carbon credits or renewable energy that are associated gas that might otherwise be flared
generating extra revenue. in line with publicly announced environmental, to generate electricity for these power-hungry
social and governance (ESG) commitments. facilities.

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