Botswana Diamonds has obtained a prospecting permit covering five kimberlite bodies in the Marsfontein region of South Africa, known to contain diamonds. This 900.67-hectare permit surrounds the historic Marsfontein diamond mine. The permit includes kimberlites M2, M3, M7, M8, and M9 and is adjacent to the company’s Thorny River properties in Limpopo province. The main focus is on the M3 kimberlite, which has a strike length of 100 meters and widths exceeding 10 meters in
Angola’s national oil company, Sonangol, is on track to achieve a national production quota of 10% by 2027, aiming for an output of 80,000 barrels of oil per day across its more than 35 concessions. This announcement was made by Sebastiao Martins, Sonangol’s chairman, during the opening ceremony of the 5th Angola Oil & Gas Conference (AOG) 2024 in Luanda. Martins stated, “The projects we are currently undertaking are designed to reach this production level
PetroWorld, a Dubai-based oil company, is set to open a lubricants factory in Angola early next year, with an estimated creation of approximately 20,000 jobs. The new facility will have a production capacity of around 10,000 liters of lubricants per day. Evandro dos Santos, PetroWorld’s Operations Director, announced the initiative during the fifth Angola Oil & Gas conference held last week in Luanda. The project is expected to cost $5 million, with a total funding
Nina Birgitte Koch, Vice President for Africa at Equinor, has commended Angola’s initiatives to revitalize older oil wells and reverse declining production, calling the measures “very positive” and “unusual” for the oil industry. Speaking to Bloomberg on the sidelines of a conference in Cape Town, Koch emphasized that Angola’s proactive approach is unlocking previously inaccessible resources. The measures implemented by the Angolan government aim to encourage extraction from older and marginal wells, which is helping
Angolan President João Lourenço acknowledged the severity of the global climate crisis while emphasizing the right of hydrocarbon-producing countries to develop their resources for the benefit of their citizens. Speaking at the opening of the 5th Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference in Luanda, Lourenço stressed the importance of balancing resource development with environmental responsibility. He recognized the harmful effects of climate change but underscored that hydrocarbon-producing nations, like Angola, should continue to develop their
Angola’s state-owned diamond marketing company, Sodiam, announced the electronic auction of 44 special diamonds, each weighing approximately 10.80 carats. The evaluation sessions will take place from October 7th to 16th, with bidding set to close at 10:00 am local time on the final day. According to Sodiam’s statement, the auction is being organized in collaboration with Trans Atlantic Gem Sales and is open to customers in Sodiam’s database with expertise in trading special stones. Viewing
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has canceled its 2022 licensing round for 27 oil blocks, aimed at tapping into the country’s vast oil and gas reserves. The announcement came via a statement posted on the hydrocarbons ministry’s X (formerly Twitter) account on October 11, citing several reasons for the cancellation, including late submissions, irregular offers, and insufficient competition. Hydrocarbons Minister Aime Sakombi Molendo stated, “Given the above, I am obliged to declare the cancellation
Aliko Dangote, the Nigerian industrialist behind the country’s first private oil refinery, is now expanding into crude oil exploration. Initially scheduled for late 2024, the launch of Dangote’s oil production is now set to begin in 2025, according to a report by S&P Global Commodity Insights. The report highlights that production at Dangote’s two oil properties, located in the Niger Delta’s Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 71 and 72, will commence at around 20,000 barrels per
In an effort to rejuvenate its ailing oil production infrastructure, Nigeria is partnering with South Korea to build several oil refineries across the country. For decades, Nigeria has been heavily reliant on imported petroleum products, but the recent launch of the Dangote refinery marks a significant shift in the nation’s energy landscape. A consortium of South Korean investors has finalized a deal with the Nigerian government to construct four refineries, according to The Punch. Heineken
Belemaoil Producing, a Nigerian independent oil producer, has successfully resumed operations at its Oil Mining Lease (OML) 55 after a three-year suspension caused by damage from theft. In February 2015, Belemaoil acquired OML 55 from Chevron Corp. The lease is located about 40 km west of the Bonny oil export terminal, in a swampy to shallow water region. Operations were halted in 2021 due to extensive oil theft along the delivery line to the Bonny
