Libya’s Energy Future: Industry and Political risk outlook was launched at a Chatham House seminar in London on 20 July.
Based on African Energy’s unparalleled track record in following Libya’s energy story and careful, originally sourced reporting from Libya and global markets, this updated and enlarged special report analyses the major issues and the financial and political trends influencing development of Libya's energy industries. Read more
A detailed guide to electrification in Africa
A 400-page study published in Paris by Karthala, L’Electricité au Coeur des Défis Africains (available in French only) includes an overview of the continental electricity supply industry and examples of generation, transmission and distribution projects. A chapter on decentralised rural electrification is followed by another on the establishment of decentralised services companies.
The book draws on articles and materials from a number of experts and sources, including African Energy.
Order a copy now, priced €36 / £30 plus postage and packing. Email: nick@africa-energy.com
AfricaHardball is an executive dialogue that brings together policy-makers, industry leaders and analysts to discuss the key political issues affecting the African energy industry in frank and open terms.
The last AfricaHardball roundtable was held on 29 June, prior to the start of EnergyNet Ltd’s annual Africa Energy Forum (AEF), in Basel. Read more
On the page below you will find a selection of articles from the African Energy archive. All items preceded by a padlock symbol require a subscription.
DR Congo energy maps - link to the DR Congo page in the African Energy map library
The Belgian technical co-operation agency is tendering for electrical wiring and related work to improve power supply in the city of Kisangani. Issue 191, 23 July 2010.more
Financing structure for Ruzizi III comes into view
The politically complex redevelopment of the Ruzizi River cascade’s power schemes seems finally to be taking shape, writes David Slater Issue 190, 9 July 2010.more
Projects line up for Kivu gas
Several projects are lining up technology partners and financiers in a move to generate electricity and stabilise Lake Kivu’s volatile methane gas. Issue 190, 9 July 2010.more
Vulture circles Snel’s World Cup deal
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) states have fallen in behind Eskom Holding’s efforts to make sure South Africa does not suffer the global embarrassment of a major electricity shortfall during the 11 June-11 July Fifa World Cup. Issue 186, 14 May 2010.more
Signs of a breakthrough for DR Congo’s Inga rehab
With progress on the rehabilitation of Inga’s existing hydropower units, Snel is looking to significantly raise its generation and transmission capacity, François Misser reports from Inga and Kinshasa Issue 186, 14 May 2010.more
While Southern African Development Community (SADC) governments are still officially working out a new strategy to bring more Inga power into the region, Western Corridor member states have decided to close the Westcor company, and the Democratic Republic of Congo government is moving ahead with its own version of the Inga III project, asking the World Bank to finance additional studies and resuming discussions with BHP Billiton about its design. Issue 186, 14 May 2010.more
Katanga to benefit from new energy projects
Société Nationale d’Electricité (Snel) has given ABB an order worth $107m to upgrade the 1,700km Inga-Kolwezi power transmission link, one of the world’s longest electricity transmission systems. ABB will refurbish the stations that convert alternating current to direct current and back on the 560MW link it built in 1982. Issue 181, 26 February 2010.more
More controversy over DR Congo’s Lake Albert exploration partners
The mysterious companies allocated blocks on the Congolese side of Lake Albert may have links to South African business magnate Tokyo Sexwale as well as to President Jacob Zuma, adding to questions surrounding the deal Issue 192, 6 August 2010.more
Opaque deals and administrative bullying mark DRC’s flirtation with investment pariah status
A pattern is emerging in the way big resources contracts are being reallocated to unknown companies that the authorities say meet their criteria for fit and proper partners, and whose participation will help speed ‘post-conflict’ economic reconstruction. Politics and personal gain seem to be defining features of these deals, writes Jon Marks Issue 191, 23 July 2010.more
Soco drills, farms out to Inpex
Soco Exploration & Production DRC has agreed to farm out a 20% interest in the onshore Nganzi Block to Japan’s Inpex Corporation. Drilling has begun on the first well, Nganga, in a three-well exploration drilling programme. Issue 191, 23 July 2010.more
Tullow threatens to sue as Zuma’s boys move in
While President Joseph Kabila Kabange has secured his political life insurance by giving stakes in eastern Congo’s sought-after Albertine Graben blocks to companies connected to South African President Jacob Zuma’s family, it is not such good news for Tullow Oil, which signed a contract for the same Lake Albert blocks 1 and 2 in 2006. Issue 190, 9 July 2010.more
Tullow’s DRC blocks go to unknowns
President Joseph Kabila Kabange has finally approved all outstanding oil contracts, according to a presidential decree published in the official gazette dated 22 June. But while closing one set of controversies over resources contract awards, Kabila has opened up another with the decision to award Lake Albert blocks 1 and 2 to two obscure British Virgin Islands-based outfits called Caprikat Ltd and Foxwhelp Ltd (AE 185/1). Issue 189, 25 June 2010.more
SOCO to drill next month
SOCO International is preparing to spud the first of several wells to test the exploration potential of the onshore Nganzi Block. Issue 188, 11 June 2010.more
Canada’s Triple Five looks at Cuvette Centrale
Triple Five Group has signed a memorandum of understanding for access to data on oil prospection in the promising Cuvette Centrale region, according to Joseph Pilipili Mawezi, head of the projects department at the Ministry of Hydrocarbons (AE 186/15). Issue 187, 28 May 2010.more
Heading for the Cuvette Centrale
The Cuvette Centrale (Central Basin) is attracting growing interest from the government and industry, sources in Kinshasa told African Energy. Issue 186, 14 May 2010.more
Kinshasa doesn’t like Tony Buckingham
Companies are still waiting on critical decisions – ultimately by President Joseph Kabila Kabange – on a number of the disputed production-sharing agreements (PSAs) that have been awarded, but never ratified, in the Albertine Graben on the Ugandan border (AE 185/1). Issue 186, 14 May 2010.more
More controversy over DR Congo’s Lake Albert exploration partners
The mysterious companies allocated blocks on the Congolese side of Lake Albert may have links to South African business magnate Tokyo Sexwale as well as to President Jacob Zuma, adding to questions surrounding the deal Issue 192, 6 August 2010.more
Opaque deals and administrative bullying mark DRC’s flirtation with investment pariah status
A pattern is emerging in the way big resources contracts are being reallocated to unknown companies that the authorities say meet their criteria for fit and proper partners, and whose participation will help speed ‘post-conflict’ economic reconstruction. Politics and personal gain seem to be defining features of these deals, writes Jon Marks Issue 191, 23 July 2010.more
The South African angle
Contract developments that may pass for normal in Democratic Republic of Congo are causing concern elsewhere on the continent. Issue 191, 23 July 2010.more
Tullow threatens to sue as Zuma’s boys move in
While President Joseph Kabila Kabange has secured his political life insurance by giving stakes in eastern Congo’s sought-after Albertine Graben blocks to companies connected to South African President Jacob Zuma’s family, it is not such good news for Tullow Oil, which signed a contract for the same Lake Albert blocks 1 and 2 in 2006. Issue 190, 9 July 2010.more
Tullow’s DRC blocks go to unknowns
President Joseph Kabila Kabange has finally approved all outstanding oil contracts, according to a presidential decree published in the official gazette dated 22 June. But while closing one set of controversies over resources contract awards, Kabila has opened up another with the decision to award Lake Albert blocks 1 and 2 to two obscure British Virgin Islands-based outfits called Caprikat Ltd and Foxwhelp Ltd (AE 185/1). Issue 189, 25 June 2010.more
Vulture circles Snel’s World Cup deal
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) states have fallen in behind Eskom Holding’s efforts to make sure South Africa does not suffer the global embarrassment of a major electricity shortfall during the 11 June-11 July Fifa World Cup. Issue 186, 14 May 2010.more
Signs of a breakthrough for DR Congo’s Inga rehab
With progress on the rehabilitation of Inga’s existing hydropower units, Snel is looking to significantly raise its generation and transmission capacity, François Misser reports from Inga and Kinshasa Issue 186, 14 May 2010.more
While Southern African Development Community (SADC) governments are still officially working out a new strategy to bring more Inga power into the region, Western Corridor member states have decided to close the Westcor company, and the Democratic Republic of Congo government is moving ahead with its own version of the Inga III project, asking the World Bank to finance additional studies and resuming discussions with BHP Billiton about its design. Issue 186, 14 May 2010.more
Subscriber Area
