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Editor’s Column operating there for 6-7 years. He said through taxation and ambitious

Africa

Eyebrow the average Gulf well costs $180 Among the pre-conference sum- infrastructure plans. Changes in million to drill and produces about mits was the Africa Energy Summit, capital gains taxes began in Uganda, 20,000 bo/d. at which the BG Group mentioned spreading to Mozambique, Tanzania,

Tim Dodson, EVP of global they had created a new model for and further afeld.

exploration at Statoil, agreed that Tanzanian gas potential. The fol- Laurent Ruseckas summarized the upstream sector was growing lowing day, Natznet Tesfay, head of the session: much acreage is avail- and and acknowledged that we’re Africa forecasting for IHS, was asked able in Africa on relatively favorable in a period of increased optimism. about Tanzania’s ability to develop terms; there are above-ground risks,

He attributes the rejuvenation of a gas plan. Tesfay said the country’s with the potential of the Arab Spring exploration opportunities to high oil delay in discussion has also delayed spreading; localism can make or prices and technology developments. its fourth licensing round, and the break projects and operators need

The three pillars of opportunity issues revolve around education, to develop popular support for their for Statoil are in mature provinces labor force, government stability, and endeavors to succeed; there is a still (Norwegian shelf), complex offshore, the young population. It will take a need to build local regulations, as and unconventionals. “Innovation years to work out the master plan, he currently seen in Tanzania.

and tolerance of risk are the drivers said, because of the need to electrify See more of our staff coverage of IHS for success,” he said. and improve other infrastructure and CERAWeek online at OEdigital.com.

The complex offshore includes the human capacity.

Venezuela, Caribbean pre-salt in the Santos and Campos basins off Brazil, gas felds off East The week was also marked by the

Africa, and ultra-deepwater felds. death of Hugo Chavez on March “For myself,

He pointed to Statoil’s two giant 5, the immediate impact of which

I’m an optimist. discoveries in the Barents Sea and the included a larger than expected giants found off Tanzania as recent crowd at the IHS expert briefng

There doesn’t successes with new 3D acquisition session on “Latin America: A New geometries and processing algorithms. Beginning.” We have yet to see the seem to be much “Technology can be a black swan,” impact on Venezuela’s petroleum said Dodson, “turning things upside production, but the future of the point in being down and presenting a very different PetroCaribe program is at stake, anything else.” picture. The US may become a net raising tensions in the 17 Caribbean exporter—the opposite of a few nations that beneft from the below- years ago.” market pricing on Venezuelan crude. - Winston Churchill

Peter Jackson, VP of upstream The bulk of the subsidized oil goes research at IHS, mentioned the to Cuba, elections are scheduled for

Tesfay was among fve IHS special- likelihood of increased automation, April 14.

ists who anchored an Expert Briefng including robotics in offshore The threat to supply and continu- session on Africa. Another was exploration and production. ing high oil prices are refocusing

Catherine Hunter, senior principal New approaches are critical. In attention on Caribbean drilling analyst for the Levant and North 2010, more than two-thirds of all oil opportunities—beyond Trinidad. We

Africa, who stressed the importance brought onstream was discovered may see more deepwater drilling off of localism and popular support before 1980, Dodson noted. In Guyana and Suriname, a third well for projects to succeed. West Nile 2012, just 29% of oil produced was off French Guiana, and potential

Delta developments could supply replaced with new resources. Gas is drilling off the coasts of Barbados obviously different, and will need to 20% of Egypt’s domestic demand, and Jamaica, in addition to a resur- but projects are delayed because of be a bigger part of the future energy gence in drilling off the Bahamas.

mix, he said, channeling Churchill: popular dissatisfaction with onshore

Team OE “For myself, I’m an optimist. There processing facilities, leading to more than two years of delays. The doesn’t seem to be much point in I’m pleased to announce that Elaine opposite problem occurs in Tunisia, being anything else.” Maslin debuts in this issue as our where locals want onshore facilities Dodson stressed collaboration, new European Editor, based in in their areas. In a bid for greater saying there will be more, not less, Aberdeen. She has been covering local content in northern Africa, she particularly in Arctic exploration the industry as an energy reporter at said there are great opportunities for and development. “Industry Aberdeen’s Press and Journal, and service companies in joint projects. needs to explore and develop new previously honed her skills as busi-

Governments are keen to harness business models and must share ness editor at the Eastern Daily Press. benefts of oil and gas development common costs.” Welcome to the team, Elaine! oedigital.com April 2013 | OE 17 colloquy.indd 17 4/2/13 9:57 AM