By TZ Business News Staff and Agencies.
The world is taking steps away from fossil fuels. The African Energy Chamber (AEC) in Johannesburg is however giving oil and gas majors a chance to explain why oil and gas should be integrated in the African energy mix instead of elimination.
Explanations from three major players in the oil and gas industry will be given at the 2021 African Energy Week conference in Cape Town November 9-12.
The African Energy Chamber Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk has said in a statement the Chamber is a strong advocate for both oil and natural gas, and by providing a platform–the African Energy Week in Cape Town– whereby a discussion on the integration, rather than elimination of oil and gas can be presented–the chamber drives investment and associated economic growth across Africa.
The former U.S. Secretary of Interior under former-President Donald Trump, Ryan Zinke, has confirmed his attendance and participation at the Conference. Zinke will lead a delegation of American businesses, independent producers, and financiers to Cape Town, capitalizing on the expanding prospects present in emerging African markets, and introducing a wide network of stakeholders to African natural resource opportunities.
In his previous position, Zinke was responsible for all oil and gas licenses in the U.S., and was committed to natural resource expansion through the opening up of federal lands for oil, natural gas and mineral exploration and extraction. Zinke has maintained a strong position for the increased exploitation of fossil fuels.
A strong advocate for using oil and gas development as a catalyst for wider economic growth, Zinke will drive a discussion on how Africa can fully utilize its significant resource base – driven by productive U.S.-Africa partnerships – to initiate long-term socio-economic growth.
Zinke has also recognized the value of international partnerships, and leading a delegation of stakeholders from the U.S. to Cape Town, is eager to establish investment deals and sustainable partnership agreements between U.S. companies and African markets, the Chamber statement reads.
Total Energies Exploration & Production President Arnaud Breuillac has also confirmed attendance to the African Energy Week in Cape Town. As a confirmed speaker and participant at African Energy Week in Cape Town, Arnaud Breuillac will promote African exploration and production, leading a constructive discussion on the role of oil and gas in Africa’s energy future.
Representing one of the world’s seven supermajor oil companies, and one of Africa’s most active oil and gas explorers and producers, Breuillac’s participation at AEW 2021 is significant and speaks to the caliber of the event as Africa’s premier energy conference the Chamber says.
By networking and participating in AEW 2021’s comprehensive event program, Breuillac will promote the role of oil and gas in Africa’s energy future, showcase some of TotalEnergies greatest achievements, and emphasize the value of an Africa-centric energy transition in which natural gas plays a major role.
“Breuillac’s participation at AEW 2021 in Cape Town emphasizes that oil and gas continue to have a significant role to play in Africa’s energy future. We are proud to host representatives from one of the world’s supermajors, and are excited for the valuable input and dialogue that Breuillac will present at AEW 2021,” Executive Chairman of the AEC NJ Ayuk stated.
Egbert Faibille, Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, has also confirmed his attendance and participation at African Energy Week.
In Cape Town the Ghanaian CEO will drive a strong narrative on the value of market-driven policies and progressive regulation in attracting investment, increasing private sector participation, and accelerating economic growth, the Chamber says .
Confirmed to deliver a keynote address at the event, Faibille will attend AEW 2021 with a delegation of industry leaders and executives from Ghana, including Hon. Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempher and representatives from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
Representing one of Africa’s most promising natural gas sectors, and the agency responsible for Ghana’s upstream oil and gas sector, Faibille will drive a discussion on Africa’s gas miracle, pushing a strong narrative on the role of effective regulation and upstream oil and gas activities in driving continent wide energy sector and economic growth.
Faibille plays a fundamental role in expanding Ghana’s oil and gas industry. Despite having only been established in 2011 in response to the discovery of significant commercial hydrocarbon deposits, the Petroleum Commission has accelerated energy sector growth, and positioned the country as an attractive investment destination through productive, industry focused regulation. Under the auspices of the Minister of Energy, and built against a backdrop of reformed market-driven policies, the Commission has positioned Ghana as a highly competitive destination for upstream investment, leading to the rapid increase in oil and gas exploration and development.
