Nigeria’s Petroleum-based Nation-building
Paul Michael Wihbey, President of Washington-based energy consulting firm GWEST, draws on his in-depth working knowledge of West Africa to report on Nigeria’s energy-driven upswing as well as its heavy oil industry’s promising Alberta connection
The similarities in the Athabasca and Nigerian oil sands imply that process technology applied in the former can be easily adapted for the later, according to research conducted by Dr Oluropo Ayodele, Research Scientist, Heavy Oil and Oil Sands Business Unit, Alberta Research Council. Compared to Alberta’s oilsands, the Nigerian variety exhibits higher sand porosity, low content clays and fines, less lean tar sand, less sulphur and heavy metal, higher bitumen content, no external stress and less basal-gas as well as the absence of basal aquifers. The similarity in the textural parameters and chemistry of the Nigerian oilsands to those of Athabasca makes it easy to transfer cold water, hot water and solvent extraction processes.
America’s recognition of a new oil power
The 2002 African Oil Policy Initiative Group (AOPIG) recommends the United States declare “the Gulf of Guinea an area of vital interest” and establish “a U.S regional sub-command” to ensure security of energy supplies. Ranking officials of Congress and the Department of Energy accepted the AOPIG whitepaper, which recognized Africa as a vital area for American national security interests. Five years later, the Bush administration pledged to create a new military command to cover the entire continent, excepting Egypt. President Bush launched the new US defense and security policy to Africa on February 7, 2007, declaring: “This new command will strengthen our security co-operation with Africa and help to create new opportunities to bolster the capabilities of our partners in Africa. The Africa Command will enhance our efforts to help bring peace and security to the people of Africa and promote our common goals of development, health, education, democracy and economic growth in Africa.”
With a new set of priorities originating from the Yar’adua/Egbogah energy regime, the following three proposed oilsands projects of various scales may become viable:
1) The small-scale production of asphalt concrete using specification bitumen extracted from strip mines. The execution period is estimated at three years and production is projected to reach 150,000 metric tons year.
2) The medium-scale production of synthetic crude based on in situ mining at depths below 150 metres. Enhanced oil recovery techniques are applied over a five-year timeframe. Production is estimated at 5,000-10,000 bbl/d.
3) The large-scale production of synthetic crude using open cast mining. Development time is estimated at 15 years. The projected production of 50,000 bbl/d of synthetic crude is intended for export.
Dr. Egbogah aspires to do those things, which will usher Nigeria’s oil and gas industry into the 21st century. As an Albertan petroleum engineer, he has experienced first-hand the impressive development and returns from unconventional heavy oil. With its bitumen deposits potentially equalling three-quarters of U.S. proven reserves, Nigeria seeks a synergy with Alberta in research assets, technological tools and market opportunities. On this footing a new petroleum industry is rapidy emerging on West Africa’s energy landscape.
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