High interest in upstream oil blocks encouraging — Amewu

The Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Mr John Peter Amewu, has welcomed the overwhelming interest in the country’s upstream petroleum exploration and production after the launch of the first licensing round by the President last month.

The interest by international oil companies (IOCs) was a sign of good things to come and that the country was ready and committed to following dues process for the benefit of the investors and the people of Ghana.

Ghana’s offer

At the Africa Oil Week, Mr Amewu said the forum had provided a unique opportunity for the country to market its oil and gas potential.
 
He said after the launch there was the need to carry out an extensive roadshow to tell the world, and events, such as the AOW platform, would be utilised to tell the investors about Ghana.

“I must say that the interest that have been shown so far is very huge and it is very interesting to know that a number of global giants within the international oil and gas space as well as some national oil companies have expressed interest in our licensing rounds,” he said.

The six blocks

Mr Amewu said since Ghana was doing the open tendering process for the first time for six out of the nine blocks, “We need to get it right and get it done properly for country.”

He expressed confidence in the team that was representing Ghana at the Africa Oil Week and the commitment shown by all, including the Petroleum Commission, the regulator, to place Ghana on the global oil map.

ExxonMobil & GOIL

The energy minister also welcomed the entry of ExxonMobil into Ghana’s oil and gas sector and its strategic partnership with the Ghana Oil Company (GOIL), saying, “it is good news for the country. We hope that before the end of the year, the petroleum agreement will have been ratified by Parliament.”

The Daily Graphic visited the stands of some international oil companies who articulated their interests in blocks in Ghana, especially deep-water blocks. Others, however, wanted both shallow and deep-water blocks as well as partner the national oil company, the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC).

The prospect forum

The Ghanaian delegation, led by the Minister of Energy, will tomorrow hold a ‘prospect forum’ to outline the application process, timelines and individual block information, along with two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) seismic data.