The 3rd Africa Gas Forum will be taking place on Monday, 19th February 2018 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg and is aligned as an official side event of the annual Africa Energy Indaba.
The Africa Gas Forum has been created to ensure a balance between country specific opportunities as well as common issues that affect the whole region such as exploration activity, licensing rounds, development plans and the move to gas, new tax regimes, regional infrastructure projects, pipelines, LNG terminals, security, local content initiatives, investment requirements and other key upcoming projects.
Key topics to be discussed include:
- Gas in Africa: The Growing Importance of Gas in the African Energy Mix and accessing the African Gas Opportunity
- Developments in the South African Gas Industrialisation Strategy
- Gas to Power: The latest news
- Accelerating the gas to power programmes in Africa: Bringing gas to life
- Negotiating GSA, PPA and EPC Agreements and Securing Government Guarantees and Permits and how to navigate the various African country regulatory environments
- How to finance Gas-to-Power Projects, Regional Gas Projects and Small-Scale LNG Projects across Africa
- Small-scale LNG development: Is this a solution for Africa?
- Latest market trends. How market diversification and interdependence will help in regional gas market development
Africa’s oil and gas potential market/consumption will grow significantly over the next two decades, driven by population growth, urbanization and the emergence of a wealthier middle class on the continent. Africa is endowed with natural resources that are changing the global energy landscape with six of the top 10 global discoveries (https://www.pwc.com/ng/en/pdf/pwc-africa-oil-and-gas-review.pdf) in the oil and gas sector in 2013 being made in Africa.
In the past, economic and political uncertainty coupled with fluctuating energy prices and weak infrastructure hampering growth, but in recent years the commodities boom and increased investment in energy infrastructure have seen a resurgence of growth.
Excitement remains around large gas finds in Mozambique, Kenya and Tanzania, which has sparked a gas boom on the east coast. Developing these discoveries requires foreign/private investment that will be expensive and require a long-term commitment. The emergence of Shale Gas and with the commissioning of the Strategic Environmental Assessment of Shale Gas by the South African Government, leads the way for Shale Gas exploration on the continent.
These discoveries open the door to potential exports generating revenues for countries and also to local and regional development of gas, a clean and local produced energy, bringing economics, environmental and health benefits to industry and consumers.
There is no doubt that Africa remains open for exploration by oil and gas companies. Although finding oil and gas in Africa can still be low cost, it needs financial investment and long-term commitment. African governments that can manage the business and regulatory processes have a better chance of attracting this investment.
The potential is evident, but today’s leading oil and gas executives in Africa must stay on top of emerging challenges and opportunities to remain competitive in the surging industry.