Blog

CNPC (China National Petroleum Corporation) and the WAPCO (West African Oil Pipeline Company) have officially started the construction of the oil pipeline linking Niger to Benin. The bulk of the work will start in January 2020, while the commissioning is expected in January 2022. With a transport capacity of 4.5 Mt/y (35 mbl/y), the project will connect the areas of the Agadem fields (northeastern Niger), to Sèmè-Kpodji (near Cotonou), on the Beninese coast, by crossing Benin from north to south. The pipeline, which lay over 1,982 km, including 1,298 km in Nigerian territory, will require an investment of nearly US$4bn, of which around US$1 bn will financed by the CNPC (Benin part).

The Government of Niger and CNPC previously signed a Transportation Convention, setting out the contractual terms under which the pipeline will be constructed and operated.

The Niger-Benin pipeline project was preferred to the originally planned route, which would have connected Agadem’s wells to the port of Kribi in Cameroon, via Chad. This route did not receive the approval of CNPC. Niger’s oil production started in 2011 and reached 6 mbl of oil in 2017.

Vitol and the National Oil Company of Mozambique (ENH) have launched a commodity trading company called ENH Energy Trading (51% ENH, 49% Vitol). The joint venture (JV) will focus on commodities such as LNG, LPG and condensate from Mozambique. The company will be incorporated and based in Singapore.  …

Uganda signed an intergovernmental agreement with Russia to cooperate in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. In the near future, the two countries will exchange visits of experts and create working groups in specific areas, including for the development of a Center for Nuclear Science and Technology in Uganda. …

The US state of Virginia (8.5 million inhabitants) has set a goal to reach 30% of renewable in its power mix by 2030 and 100% of carbon-free sources by 2050. …

The Colombian department of Boyacá (1.2 million inhabitants), will launch the first regional Emissions Trading Scheme, the Regional Emissions Reduction Mechanism (MRRE), to begin operating in October 2019. …

The second unit of the Novovoronezh-2 nuclear power plant (Novovoronezh II-2) in southwestern Russia is ready for commissioning after it completed 15-day comprehensive trials (commissioning tests). The 1,114 MW reactor started to supply electricity to the domestic power grid in early May 2019.

Infraestructura Marina del Golfo (IMG) (TC Energy and Infraestructura Energética Nova, IEnova), has announced the commencement of operations at the 74 mcm/d (27 bcm/year) Sur de Texas gas pipeline (Mexico).  …

Encavis and Solarcentury, developers of the 300 MW Talayuela solar power plant, have secured a 10-year private power purchase agreement (PPA) for the project (Spain).  …