De Beers’ prices fell last year as a prolonged oversupply in the midstream and economic challenges weighed on demand. The company’s rough-price index, which reflects like-for-like values, dropped 6% for the 12-month period, parent company Anglo American reported last week. Sales volume slipped 19% to 27.4 million carats, with the average selling price sliding 25% to $147 per carat. While the company has not published its full-year revenue, rough sales decreased 36% to $3.63 billion,
Botswana has designated BWP 890 million ($65 million) from its new fiscal 2024-2025 budget for the purchase of a 24% stake in Belgian manufacturer HB Antwerp. The deal, which it first announced in March, calls for the African country to supply rough from state-owned Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) to HB Botswana for five years. The partnership would operate in a similar fashion to HB’s previous supply deal with Lucara Diamond Corp, enabling Botswana to retain
Energy supermajor TotalEnergies and offshore drilling contractor Vantage Drilling have signed a binding agreement to form a new joint venture (JV). Under the agreement, TotalEnergies will acquire the Tungsten Explorer drillship from Vantage Drilling. To the tune of $199 million, TotalEnergies will acquire a 75% majority stake in the JV, with Vantage Drilling owning the remaining 25%. “Through this innovative partnership, TotalEnergies will be able to hedge deep offshore drilling costs: the JV will provide
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is seeking ‘modern investors’ to tap into the country’s mining sector, which boasts over $460 trillion worth of untapped mineral deposits. Miguel Kashal Katemb, Director General of the DRC’s Regulatory Authority for Subcontracting in the Private Sector (ARSP), said the country wants to collaborate with responsible investors, particularly those focused on equity funds and exchange-traded funds, to drive infrastructure development within the mining sector. “We have many big investors
The French supermajor, TotalEnergies, has initiated production at the Akpo West Field offshore Nigeria. The field has been seamlessly integrated with the pre-existing Akpo Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, which exhibited a production rate of approximately 124,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2023. This achievement marks a significant milestone, enhancing the production capacity at the Akpo Field by an additional 14,000 bpd. Furthermore, it is expected to contribute up to four million cubic
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) allocated $1.7 billion to finance 55 global projects in 2023, according to a recent statement from the organization. In a bid to address climate change, social and economic resilience and sustainable growth, 60% of the funds supported renewable energy initiatives. At 42%, Africa received the largest share of the funding, with recipient projects including solar power initiatives in Niger and Nigeria, as well as an energy security
Senegal’s inaugural offshore oil project – anticipates first oil in mid-2024. Operated by the Australian exploration and production company Woodside Energy, the project is set to process 100,000 barrels per day through FPSO Léopold Sédar Senghor from subsea wells. Once operational, Sangomar will mark Senegal’s debut in oil production, generating several important impacts for the country and the wider region. Revived Exploration With the arrival of first oil, the MSGBC region will likely see a
Zambia has launched a national geological mapping program to better understand its mineral resource deposits and untapped potential. Spearheaded by the government, the survey aims to promote mineral exploration in the country by quantifying resources and supporting strategic investments, with a view to capitalizing on the growing global demand for critical minerals. Speaking at a mining conference in Cape Town on Monday, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema stated that “by 2040, an additional nine million tons
New sanctions on Russia will fast-track the adoption of traceability programs across the supply chain. Should they wish to sell those diamonds into the Group of Seven (G7) countries, companies will have to prove their goods were sourced from non-Russian production. On December 6, the G7 — comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States — announced its latest sanctions, aimed at “limiting Russia’s ability to fund its illegal war,”
Nigeria’s Dangote refinery, the biggest in Africa, is gearing up to bring in crude from the US in the next few months. Traders with insider information revealed that Trafigura Group has sold 2 million barrels of WTI Midland to the Dangote refinery for delivery at the end of February, Bloomberg reported. Traders have noted that this marks the first occasion where the refinery has procured crude oil from sources outside of Nigeria. The surge in
