The CSOs believe the deal is a bad one for GNPC
Some 15 CSOs in the extractive industry have petitioned parliament to stop the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) from acquiring stakes in Aker Energy and AGM Petroleum Ghana oil blocks.
The CSOs say the deal “cannot be a guise for poor decisions that threaten the country’s economic and fiscal outlook.”
“We are clear in our minds that the transactions, if approved, will shortchange Ghana,” the CSOs argued.
“Therefore, we request parliament to intervene given that the deal has already gone through all the relevant branches of the Executive, ostensibly glossing over important threats of the transaction to the country’s fiscal situation,” it added.
GNPC, through its GNPC Explorco, is allowed to participate in the upstream petroleum sector and it plans to purchase a 70 per cent stake in the South Deep Water Tano (SDWT) operated by AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited and a 37 per cent stake in the Deep Water Tano/Cape Three Points (DWT/CTP) operated by Aker Energy Ghana Limited.
The corporation recently asked parliament to approve a loan of $1.65 billion for the acquisition of the stakes in Ghana’s offshore fields.
Energy Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh submitted a memorandum to that effect to the legislature.
In the memoranda, GNPC said it seeks approval to purchase a 70% stake in the South Deep Water Tano (SDWT) operated by AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited and a 37% stake in the Deep Water Tano/Cape Three Points (DWT/CTP) operated by Aker Energy Ghana Limited.
“Provision of a loan not exceeding US$1.65 billion to finance the acquisition at a price to be negotiated which might not exceed US$1.3 billion and GC Explorco share of capital expenditure (CAPEX) to Pecan Phase 1 First Oil of US$350 million.”
Such partnerships, the GNPC noted, were critical.
It explained that it has become even more imperative as a result of the exit of some major oil companies from Ghana.
In the current scheme of things, the GNPC said it has to shore up its capacity and take up a large part of the exploration activities before Ghana’s oil reserves hit a level of terminal decline.
“With the shift away from investments in oil and gas into renewable, Ghana faces the risk of stranded assets and dwindling proven reserves if GNPC is unable to undertake exploration, development, and production alone”, the document said.
“A declining industry undermines growth, diminishes revenue expectations for Ghana and makes redundant the stock of skilled labour in the industry which Ghana has rapidly built up over the decade.”
It added that the move is “all the more needed and urgent”.
GNPC believes the partnerships, which have the approval of Cabinet, can add extra 200,000 barrels of crude oil to Ghana’s capacity in the next few years.
About Aker Energy
Aker Energy Ghana Ltd, a subsidiary of Norwegian-based oil exploration and production firm Aker Energy AS, is an exploration and production company and the operator of the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points (DWT/CTP) block.
It holds a 50% participating interest in the licence, and the partners are Lukoil Overseas Ghana Tano Limited (38%), the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) (10%) and Fueltrade Limited (2%).
The block holds discovered resources of between 450-550 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Aker Energy aims to become the oil and gas operator of choice offshore Ghana, by maturing and producing resources in a safe, efficient, and reliable manner to the benefit of the company, partners, and the people of Ghana.
Aker Energy AS is part of the Norwegian Aker group of companies, with Aker ASA and TRG AS as its majority shareholders. Aker Energy has offices in Ghana and Norway.