Latest: Energy in the News in East Africa - January 2013

Renewable Energy

Solar, biogas power to be sold to national grid

Electricity Transmission

Kenya’s high voltage line to be ready June

 Oil & gas - pipelines

AfDB releases $500,000 for pipeline study

Tanzania seeks $581m more for its gas pipeline

Oil & Gas

Aminex to spend $8m on Tanzania gas

New rules in Kenya seek to boost revenues from oil ventures

Infrastructure

Kibaki to lay foundation stone for Lamu port

Kenya, Uganda seek private investment partner for oil pipeline

As reported by Reuters today

Kenya and Uganda said on Monday they were looking for a strategic private investment partner to build and operate a pipeline to transport refined petroleum products between the two east African countries.

The new pipeline, estimated to cost $300 million, is expected to join an existing pipeline from Eldoret, western Kenya, and ferry oil to Uganda's capital Kampala, a distance of about 352 km (220 miles).

"The pipeline will interconnect with the existing 14-inch diameter pipeline running from Nairobi to Eldoret and should be able to transport products to and from Kampala, Uganda and Eldoret, Kenya including spur line in Jinja," the two governments said in a joint call for bids published in Kenyan newspapers.

"The project will also include a common user depot at the pipeline terminal in Kampala," they said, adding that it would be developed under 20-year Build-Own-Operate-Transfer arrangement.

Landlocked Uganda currently transports all of its fuel - imported primarily through Kenya's Mombasa seaport - in tankers over several hundred kilometres of road. Officials say the method is unreliable, costly and damages roads.

The contract to build the pipeline from western Kenya to Uganda was originally awarded in 2007 to the east African unit of Libyan-owned petroleum firm Tamoil. The contract was cancelled in September last year after the project faced multiple delays.

Both Kenya and Uganda have discovered oil reserves but production has yet to start.

Tullow Oil - Trading statement and operational update- 11th January 2013

Courtesy of Tullow Oil website:

• Strengthened balance sheet; increased Jubilee production, Uganda farm-down proceeds, debt re-financing and reserve additions
• Significant on going portfolio management; focus on high value oil and early monetisation
• Exploration & Appraisal campaigns to target 1 billion boe with over 40 wells planned for 2013

Tullow Oil plc (Tullow) issues this Operational Update summarising key activities since the Interim Management Statement on 14 November 2012 and a Trading Statement in respect of its financial year to 31 December 2012. This is in advance of the Group’s Full Year Results, which are scheduled for release on Wednesday 13 February 2013. The information contained herein has not been audited and may be subject to further review.

Download Tullow Oil plc Trading Statement and Operational Update

COMMENTING TODAY, AIDAN HEAVEY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE SAID:

"Tullow accomplished much in 2012. We have had significant exploration success in establishing Kenya as a new hydrocarbon province and continued to add to and mature our exploration portfolio. Jubilee production issues were successfully and cost effectively resolved and gross production from the field is now around 110,000 bopd. Commercial reserves have also increased, benefitting from the submission of the TEN development plan in Ghana. We also significantly strengthened our balance sheet in 2012 by concluding the Uganda farm-down and by refinancing and extending the maturity of our $3.5bn reserves based lending facility.

Tullow continually reviews its portfolio to ensure that it allocates capital appropriately to enhance shareholder value. We accelerated this process after the farm-down in Uganda when we conducted a thorough review of the exploration assets carried on our balance sheet. In 2012 we further reshaped the portfolio with entry into five new countries, including highly prospective licences in the North Atlantic through the purchase of Spring Energy. Our increasing focus on light oil exploration has led to our planned disposal of our Asian and Southern North Sea gas production assets.

This continuing process of portfolio management, alongside increased Jubilee production and a strengthened balance sheet, provides a strong base from which our exploration-led growth strategy can continue to deliver. Tullow is now well positioned for a very successful 2013 and growth beyond."