par energy_isere » 27 sept. 2010, 15:13
Le projet à un nom : Nigal (contaraction de Nigeria et Algérie), mais les difficultés sont financiéres : il faut trouver 13 milliards de $ pour ce projet. Le projet n' avance pas.
Fresh doubts hit Nigeria's 4,500km oil line to Europe
September 27 2010
The 4,500 kilometre oil pipeline from Nigeria to Europe, the Nigal (Nigeria-Algeria) project, threatens to lose its way in the desert.
The pipeline, which is expected to deliver Nigerian oil to Europe through Niger and Algeria, took shape in 2002 after a memorandum of understanding between Algeria’s Hydrocarbons National Enterprise (Sonatrach) and Nigeria’s National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Subsequently, Algeria and Nigeria, as the main contributors, agreed to do a feasibility study, then set up a joint company to oversee the project.
By 2007, everything seemed on course. Both countries did a media campaign in Europe to promote the project.
In 2009, Niger joined the pipeline bandwagon. The momentum was on. Several international oil and gas firms— Total, Shell, ENI Agip, and Russia’s Gazprom — expressed interest.
Guy Maurice, Total manager in Nigeria, said the project, “is a strategic diversification for Nigeria for the long term.” Russian President Vladimir Medvedev, on his recent visit to Nigeria, announced his country’s desire for a piece of the action.
Following Medvedev’s comments, Gazprom and NNPC met to talk about investing at least $2.5 billion to construct the first segment of the pipeline.
When built, the pipeline will be very impressive. Running 4,500km, it starts from the Niger Delta region in Nigeria (which has estimated reserves of 180,000 billion barrels), snakes across the country for 1,300km, then runs 750km through Niger, and finally crosses 2,500km of Algeria to end up in Algiers.
Once commissioned, it will pour 20 to 30 billion cubic metres of oil into Europe every year.
But while the oil was supposed to be flowing through the Nigal by 2012, completion is now likely to be delayed further — with the earliest date of commissioning now pushed back to 2015.
Some experts see an even later date. Hafidh Souaili, expert and writer on energy affairs in Algiers, says: “2017 is more or less the earliest we shall see light at the end of the tunnel.”
Many difficulties have arisen, key among them being funding,” says Souaili. In spite of Algeria and Nigeria’s commitment to partially support the $13 billion pipeline, they have yet to put serious money on the table.
The Nigal, therefore, still relies on foreign financial contributions.
The European Union has said it considers the pipeline a strategic project, and has supported the research and development segments.
“But Brussels,” observes Souaili, “is still plagued by doubt.” Moreover, he thinks the global financial crisis is not enough to explain Europe’s sudden reluctance.
http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/-/ ... oop207z/-/Le projet à un nom : Nigal (contaraction de Nigeria et Algérie), mais les difficultés sont financiéres : il faut trouver 13 milliards de $ pour ce projet. Le projet n' avance pas.
[quote] [b] Fresh doubts hit Nigeria's 4,500km oil line to Europe[/b]
September 27 2010
The 4,500 kilometre oil pipeline from Nigeria to Europe, the Nigal (Nigeria-Algeria) project, threatens to lose its way in the desert.
The pipeline, which is expected to deliver Nigerian oil to Europe through Niger and Algeria, took shape in 2002 after a memorandum of understanding between Algeria’s Hydrocarbons National Enterprise (Sonatrach) and Nigeria’s National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Subsequently, Algeria and Nigeria, as the main contributors, agreed to do a feasibility study, then set up a joint company to oversee the project.
By 2007, everything seemed on course. Both countries did a media campaign in Europe to promote the project.
In 2009, Niger joined the pipeline bandwagon. The momentum was on. Several international oil and gas firms— Total, Shell, ENI Agip, and Russia’s Gazprom — expressed interest.
Guy Maurice, Total manager in Nigeria, said the project, “is a strategic diversification for Nigeria for the long term.” Russian President Vladimir Medvedev, on his recent visit to Nigeria, announced his country’s desire for a piece of the action.
Following Medvedev’s comments, Gazprom and NNPC met to talk about investing at least $2.5 billion to construct the first segment of the pipeline.
When built, the pipeline will be very impressive. Running 4,500km, it starts from the Niger Delta region in Nigeria (which has estimated reserves of 180,000 billion barrels), snakes across the country for 1,300km, then runs 750km through Niger, and finally crosses 2,500km of Algeria to end up in Algiers.
Once commissioned, it will pour 20 to 30 billion cubic metres of oil into Europe every year.
But while the oil was supposed to be flowing through the Nigal by 2012, completion is now likely to be delayed further — with the earliest date of commissioning now pushed back to 2015.
Some experts see an even later date. Hafidh Souaili, expert and writer on energy affairs in Algiers, says: “2017 is more or less the earliest we shall see light at the end of the tunnel.”
Many difficulties have arisen, key among them being funding,” says Souaili. In spite of Algeria and Nigeria’s commitment to partially support the $13 billion pipeline, they have yet to put serious money on the table.
The Nigal, therefore, still relies on foreign financial contributions.
The European Union has said it considers the pipeline a strategic project, and has supported the research and development segments.
“But Brussels,” observes Souaili, “is still plagued by doubt.” Moreover, he thinks the global financial crisis is not enough to explain Europe’s sudden reluctance.
[/quote]
http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/-/2558/1017986/-/oop207z/-/