Africa is leading the liquefied natural gas (LNG) global race as it will receive one-third of total global green field investments for LNG projects in 2019, around $103 billion, according to Africa oil and power.
Africa oil and power dispatched that Senegal is leading the way with its giant Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas field, which will have economic and social benefits in the long-term. Gas-to-power is now a key pillar of the country’s strategy to provide universal power access to its people and increase economic competitiveness.
As to the report, natural gas in the GTA was first encountered in 2014 by frontier explorer Kosmos Energy, who later entered into a joint-operating venture with British supermajor BP. Successive discoveries since then have indicated that the field could produce up to 10 million tons of LNG per year.
Beyond sizeable reserves, the project is unique in many senses as it allowed a landmark trans-border cooperation agreement to be signed between Mauritania and Senegal. The GTA project will be known as the fastest LNG project ever, with just five to six years between discovery and first gas, which is scheduled for 2022.
As part of the country’s Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE), launched by President Macky Sall in 2014, Senegal aims to obtain sufficient energy sources while reaching a triple objective that includes providing reliable electricity for its citizens with the goal of reaching universal access by 2025; increase its competitiveness by supplying affordable power to local companies and protecting the environment with cleaner energy.
According to the statement, during a meeting with Africa Oil & Power in December last year, Philippe Miquel, Head of Western and Central Africa for French renewable energy firm Engie, stated: “I believe it is a good thing for Senegal to develop its natural gas resources. For one, it will decrease the use of fuel-based plants for a cleaner environment. Senegal will also be able to think about other uses for natural gas besides power generation including natural gas distribution for the retail market and natural gas as a transportation fuel.”
Since the GTA discovery, gas-to-power has become an increasingly hot topic in Senegal and is now a key component to becoming a regional energy hub and an energy-independent nation. Serigne Mboup, Managing Director of Société Africaine de Raffinage (SAR), Africa’s oldest hydrocarbon refinery, told Africa Oil & Power: “The government of Senegal has expressed its wish to make our country the energy hub of West Africa. This strategy is in line with the global push towards greener energy production which SAR intends to fully comply with.”
In order to implement its gas-to-power masterplan, the Senegalese government is working closely with an integrated team comprising UK-based Penspen and MJMEnergy. Penspen will be in charge of studying technical aspects of the project including multiple scenarios to connect final consumers with new gas supplies. It will also put together a conceptual gas network infrastructure design associated with an estimation of costs and timeline.
MJMEnergy will define the economics of the projects, including gas markets and financial related aspects. It will also develop the institutional framework and business requirements of the new public-private enterprise that will build and manage the gas network.
“We are pleased to be contributing to the development of Senegal’s domestic gas sector. This important project is a significant milestone for the country in providing access to competitive and clean supplies of energy to its people. We look forward to using our deep technical experience to help Senegal maximize the benefit from the natural gas it has discovered within its territorial waters,” Penspen CEO, Peter O’Sullivan, said.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 11 AUGUST 2019
BY MEHARI BEYENE
