Crude Oil

Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Ink Milestone Oil & Gas Agreement for Chevron Operated Block 14

The signing of the agreement will authorize the Block’s ownership, with the DRC and Angola taking a 30% stake each while global energy major – and block operator –Chevron taking a 40% stake.

Published

3 months ago

July 13, 2023

Investors King

Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are set to make history with the signing of an agreement for the development of Block 14 on Thursday 13 July in Kinshasa.

The agreement, set to be signed by Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas of the Republic of Angola and his DRC counterpart Minister Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga, will mark a major milestone in the collaboration between the two African nations and holds immense significance for both countries.

The signing of the agreement will authorize the Block’s ownership, with the DRC and Angola taking a 30% stake each while global energy major – and block operator –Chevron taking a 40% stake. The signing puts an end to decades-long deliberations between the countries and is a testament to both Minister Azevedo and Minister Ntubuanga’s commitment to advancing oil and gas exploration on the back of regional collaboration.

For Angola, the signing enables the country to leverage its experience as a major oil producer to grow both its domestic market and the regional economy. Boasting an abundant 9 billion barrels of oil reserves and producing over 1.08 million barrels of oil per day (February 2023), Angola stands out as an African oil powerhouse. The country has done exceptionally well in harnessing its own resources to advance economic growth, and continues to drive a series of impactful project developments across the entire energy value chain. This success makes the country the partner of choice for up-and-coming oil producers such as the DRC.

By leveraging its position as a significant oil producer, Angola seeks to advance regional basin development and encourage cooperation across the African energy industry. Sharing knowledge and expertise with the DRC will not only strengthen their bilateral relations but also contribute to the overall growth and stability of the region.

For the DRC, this represents a breakthrough in its pursuit of new oil supplies and joint development opportunities. The signing of the deal and associated development of the Block will enable the DRC to increase daily crude oil production. As one of the largest countries in Africa, the DRC has long sought to tap into its abundant natural resources, especially its unexploited oil deposits. The country boasts up to five billion barrels of reserves, and the agreement with Angola paves the way for several paths of cooperation and significant information exchange, allowing the DRC to capitalize on Angola’s profound expertise and extensive experience as a prominent oil producer. This partnership is set to unlock several exchanges across a range of areas, including but not limited to technology transfer, best practices in exploration and production, refining and processing techniques, and efficient management of oil resources. Angola’s valuable insights and lessons learned can be instrumental in enhancing the DRC’s own oil sector, optimizing its operations, and maximizing the economic potential of its petroleum resources.

The Chamber acknowledges and commends both governments and their respective teams for their exceptional leadership and dedication in successfully finalizing this monumental deal. The negotiation process for this agreement spanned an impressive two-decade period, during which the combined efforts of both governments were crucial in overcoming various challenges and preventing further delays on the project.

This landmark deal not only paves the way for extensive exploration activities in the DRC, but also serves as a catalyst for promoting regional collaborations. By fostering partnerships and cooperation, this agreement unlocks significant opportunities for cross-border initiatives and mutually beneficial ventures among neighboring countries.

The African Energy Chamber recognizes the immense significance of this achievement, which has been made possible through the unwavering commitment and collaborative spirit demonstrated by both governments and their dedicated teams. Their unwavering determination and tireless efforts have paved the way for a new era of exploration and regional cooperation in the DRC and beyond.

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Crude Oil

Oil Prices Surge as China’s Holiday Demand and Tight US Supply Drive 2% Weekly Gain

Published

2 days ago

September 29, 2023

Samed Olukoya

Oil prices to close the week with about a 2% gain as robust holiday demand from China and constrained U.S. fundamentals overshadowed concerns about potential supply increases from Saudi Arabia.

Brent crude oil, against which Nigerian oil is priced, gained 5 cents to $95.43 per barrel at about 6:00 a.m. Nigerian time on Friday while the U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) rose by 16 cents to $91.87 per barrel.

The market’s resilience became evident as it rebounded from a slight 1% dip in the previous session when profit-taking followed a surge in prices to 10-month highs.

China, the world’s largest oil importer, played a pivotal role in driving prices higher. Strong fuel demand coincided with China’s week-long Golden Week holiday, with increased international and domestic travel significantly boosting Chinese oil consumption.

Analysts at ANZ noted that this holiday season’s surge in travel was underpinned by the fact that the average daily flights booked were a fifth higher than during Golden Week in 2019, pre-dating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also, improving macroeconomic data from China and the steady growth of its factory activity further supported the bullish sentiment.

The U.S. economy’s robust growth and indications of accelerated activity in the current quarter also bolstered expectations of sustained fuel demand.

Also, tight supplies in the U.S., evidenced by dwindling storage levels at Cushing, Oklahoma, provided additional support to oil prices. As rig counts fell, U.S. oil production was expected to slow down, potentially pushing the market into a deficit of more than 2 million barrels per day in the last quarter.

Investors are now eagerly awaiting the upcoming meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+), scheduled for October 4th.

The meeting will be a crucial indicator of whether Saudi Arabia will consider stepping up its supply in response to the nearly 30% surge in oil prices this quarter.

Analysts, however, caution that the market may be entering overbought territory, leading to possible hesitancy among participants and concerns that OPEC+ could ease production cuts earlier than planned if prices continue to rise.

The outcome of next week’s OPEC meeting will undoubtedly hold significant implications for the oil market’s future trajectory.

Crude Oil

Oil Prices Soar to a Year High as Crude Reserves Plummet

Crude stocks at a pivotal storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, hit their lowest levels since July last year, sparking concerns about future supply stability.

Published

3 days ago

September 28, 2023

Investors King

Oil prices surged to their highest level in over a year during Asian trading hours, following a significant drop in crude stocks at a key storage hub.

Crude inventories in Cushing, Oklahoma, plummeted to a mere 22 million barrels in the fourth week of September, close to operational minimums, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

This translates to 943,000 barrels compared to the prior week.

The U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to $95.03 per barrel during Asian trading hours, a peak not seen since August 2022 before settling at $94.61 per barrel.

Meanwhile, Brent crude oil, the international benchmark for Nigerian oil, rose by 1.05% to $97.56 per barrel.

Experts have attributed this rapid price escalation to the precarious situation in Cushing, with Bart Melek, Managing Director of TD Securities, stating, “Today’s price action seems to be Cushing driven, as it reaches a 22 million bbl low, the lowest level since July 2022.”

Melek expressed concerns about the challenges of getting crude oil into the market if inventories continue to dip below these critical levels.

Predicting the future trajectory of oil prices, Melek suggested that prices could remain at elevated levels for the remainder of the year, especially if the global oil cartel, OPEC+, continues to enforce supply restrictions.

He noted that the global oil market is facing a “pretty robust deficit” on top of an already significant shortfall for this quarter due to OPEC’s production cuts.

Saudi Arabia, a key player in OPEC+, has extended its voluntary crude oil production cut of 1 million barrels per day until the year’s end, bringing its crude output to nearly 9 million barrels per day.

Russia has also pledged to continue its 300,000 barrels per day export reduction until December.

However, Melek added that, “We do think that prices could keep up near these levels for quite some time. But I don’t think it’s too permanent. And we might have seen the end of this rally.”

Crude Oil

Nigerian Pump Prices May Increase as Crude Oil Hits $93.55 Per Barrel

Published

5 days ago

September 26, 2023

Investors King

Amidst growing concerns over the surging price of crude oil on the international market, Nigerian citizens are bracing themselves for a possible increase in pump prices.

Crude oil, the lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy rose to $92.42 per barrel on Monday, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the already volatile fuel market.

This surge in crude oil prices comes in tandem with the persistent depreciation of the Naira in foreign exchange markets, where it traded at N980 to $1 on the parallel market. For many Nigerians, these simultaneous developments trigger memories of the recent fuel price hikes that followed the removal of fuel subsidies earlier this year.

In June, the government removed the subsidy, leading to a sharp 210% increase in the pump price from N175 per liter to N546.83 per liter. In a further blow to consumers, less than a month later, the price surged again, reaching N617 per liter.

However, since then, there have been no additional fuel increments, despite fluctuations in the Naira’s exchange rate. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, along with key government officials and industry leaders, has reiterated their commitment to stabilizing petrol prices in the country.

According to Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, “The President affirms that there will be no increase in the price of petroleum motor spirit.”

Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC), echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that NNPC is the sole supplier of petrol nationwide and has not proposed any price hikes.

Industry experts like Chinedu Okonkwo, President of the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), have urged the government to expedite efforts in implementing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a viable alternative to traditional fuels, providing a long-term solution to the country’s energy needs.

While the global crude oil price surge is a cause for concern, Nigerians are holding onto the government’s commitment to price stability and the potential for CNG to provide a sustainable energy alternative in the future.

In a market with unique dynamics, where NNPC remains the sole supplier and importer of fuel, the hope is that prices will remain stable for the benefit of all Nigerians.