BY DARGIE KAHSAY
Last week, the Ethiopian Ministry of Mines announced that Ethiopia has discover a seven trillion cubic feet of natural gas and oil reserve in the Ogaden area of Somali Regional State. The amount of the natural gas and oil was found in three sites and certified it after deep study during the past five months. The Ministry of Mines has already received the first gas reserves certificate after a five month long study, which verified the extent of oil and natural gas reserves in Ethiopia and how it’s going to be extracted.
An American based company, the Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc (NSAI) spent five months to conduct the regional geology and mining data. The survey document conducted by the company revealed that presence Ethiopia has seven trillion cubic feet of natural gas and oil in Ogaden Basin of Somali regional state. The certificate was handed over to Minister Takele Uma by Vice President and Team Leader of the NSAI Company, Josseph M. Wolfe.
It was clear that Ethiopia have a huge potential of natural gas resources decades ago. What is new for the current development is that Ethiopia already knows the volume and the specific sites of the natural gas and already certified it with an international company after researching it. The report of the study indicated that the volume of Ethiopia’s natural gas resource is some seven trillion cubic feet found within three fields of the Ogaden Basins of Calub, Hilala and Dohar.
Ethiopia is rich in natural resources and has a huge potential in the mining sector. Gold, tantalum, phosphorus, iron, salt, potash, coal, gemstones and geothermal resources are among the well-known mining and natural resources of Ethiopia which are important for the industrial and construction materials and important sources of energy. Ethiopia’s investment and earning in the mining sector is increasing in recent years after it gives due attention to the sector.
The annual earnings from the export of the mining sector increases from year to year and currently the annual earnings exceed 600 million USD. Ethiopia is also continued taking necessary actions to boost the earning from the sector to make among the backbones of the economy.
Minister of the Ministry of Mining, Engineer Takele Umma during the certification ceremony of the natural gas, said that Ethiopia is rich in natural resources adding Ethiopia’s prosperity would realize through the proper use of its available natural resources. According to Takele, for the sustainable and proper use of the natural resources without affecting the environment, it is necessary to act based on knowledge and that is why the country studied the natural gas resource of the country.
“Now, we know not only Ethiopia have a natural gas but also how much we have,” Minister Takele said adding that this is a major move to invest in the sector with confidence. The certificate of the natural gas resource is an assurance for Ethiopia to invite credible companies to invest in the sector, he added. “The previous Ethiopian generation claims we have a natural gas. Today, I can proudly say we have a natural gas, not only what we have. I can say how much we have and its prospects. And this indicates we can invite credible companies with technologies, finance and experience to invest in natural gas,” Eng. Takele underlined.
According to the Minister, these days, every nation across the world is looking for natural resources especially natural gas. In addition to other precious mines, now Ethiopia has a huge identified potential of natural gas and this would help Ethiopia to realize its prosperity journey. “To make it clear, volume is a standard way of calculating Natural Gas. Our volume of natural gas calculated from three different fields in the Ogaden Basin, Calub, Hilala and Dohar, is seven trillion cubic feet (7TCF,” Minister Takele noted.
Ethiopia is rich in natural resources and striving to maximize its gain from its resources given by nature. And as Ethiopia is committedly working to bring prosperity, the huge potential of the natural resource sector is a crucial sector to realize its prosperous vision.
According to Minister Takele the natural gas resource is very important for domestic use especially for energy and fertilizer. In addition, it is crucial to increase Ethiopia’s foreign currency earnings by exporting the natural gas. “Now, the resource and the available volume is already known with scientific study, the remaining issue is developing it through investment,” Minister Takele said adding that the Ethiopian Government is committed to realize it since it is important to realize the country’s transformation and prosperity.
The discovered natural gas and oil resource reservoir has the potential to decide the fate of Ethiopian economy. According to Takele, “to use our resource, it only waits our speed and the current Ethiopian government is ready to accomplish its projects as fast as possible. Hence, the Ethiopian government would realize investments to use the discovered resource.”
Takele underlined that Ethiopia is utilizing its natural resources keeping in mind the environmental impacts and next, the investment in the natural gas would consider the environment. The investment in the natural resource is using new technologies and in a green way so as to protect nature. “We have initiated a Green Legacy initiative four years ago and we have been planting trees to mitigate the environment” Takele noted adding that every investment in the natural resource gives due concern to protect the greenness of the environment.
The Ethiopian Herald 4 September 2022
