Sunday August 28, 2022
The Government of Ethiopia on Friday signaled its readiness
to issue license for a United States company to commence the long awaited gas
and oil production.
This is indicated by Eng. Takele Uma, Minister of Mines of
Ethiopia, who received a study result about the economic feasibility of
Ethiopia’s natural gas and oil by the joint company of the United States and
the Netherlands – Netherlands, Sewell & Associates, Inc. (NSAI).
“…My grandfather used
to say we have natural gas. I can now proudly say we have how much we have.
That indicate we can bring credible companies with technology finance and
experience to transform for domestic purposes and export of [oil],” said Eng.
Takele Uma.
“This time tells us that if we come together and move
forward, the time to prosper Ethiopia is make sure very near. In this journey I
am very confident that we are bringing American company to invest in our
natural resources especially in gas. Because this time is in Ethiopia and
Africa …everybody is looking for natural gas…This time Ethiopia is standing
firm to produce natural gases…” said Eng. Takele Uma.
Eng. Takele Uma stated that this is for the first time
Ethiopia has got clear estimate about the volume of its gas and oil reserves in
three locations. “We never had a report like this…We used to hear from
companies before that we may have around 2 trillion cubic feet of crude oil,”
he said. “Our volume of reserves calculated from the three different fields in
the Ogaden Basin (Calub, Hilala, Dohar) is 7 Trillion Cubic Feet (7TCF),” Eng.
Takele said.
It was five months ago that the Ministry of Mines of
Ethiopia has awarded the evaluation its oil and gas reserve to NSAI.
“..It is up to the Government of Ethiopia to decide based on
our evaluation what to do with the resource,” said the research company
representative who submitted the evaluation report to Eng. Takele Uma, Minister
of Mines of Ethiopia.
“This report doesn’t change anything tomorrow. It is going
to take years…The vision [to invest] is about the future. The vision is not
about the past…The vision is about next ten years, fifteen years,” he said.
“…Do you want to invest for the betterment of Ethiopia
through oil and gas? Or do you have other options available to you? These are
the decisions left for you. We can only prepare the analysis. Now the hard work
is left to you. Eng. Takele Uma stated that this is for the first time Ethiopia
has got clear estimate about the volume of its gas and oil reserves in three
locations.
It is recalled that not long after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
came to power in mid 2018, the tax haven Virgin Island-registered Chinese
company – Poly GCL, announced commencing gas production in Eastern part of
Ethiopia Somali region, Ogaden area. Meanwhile, media reports later indicated
that there is disagreement between the Ministry of Mines and the Chinese
Company.
Observers of the long relation between Ethiopia and the
United Sates think that the strategic decision of the Government of Ethiopia to
bring aboard a company of the United States to develop its oil and gas
resources is likely to boost the support of President Biden administration to
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration.