Oil
Conocophilips exists Nigeria to raise cash
NEW YORK – For ConocoPhillips, it hasn’t been easy to say goodbye to its Nigerian business.In December 2012, the U.S. energy titan struck a deal to sell its holdings in the West African country for just shy of $2 billion. The buyer: Oando Energy Resources, a subsidiary of Nigeria-based Oando PLC.
Leaving Nigeria is part of Conoco’s plan to raise cash to pay for a big push to drill in U.S. shale. The Houston-based company expected to close the sale in the first half of 2013.
But the would-be buyer has struggled to come up with the money. The companies in September split the deal into two smaller packages, and pushed back deadlines to give Oando more time to line up financing.
If Oando doesn’t come through with the money for the bigger piece of the deal by Nov. 30, the agreement could be on the rocks, according to a Nov. 5 regulatory filing.
Oando made a $435 million down-payment a year ago. It owes Conoco another $1.2 billion to buy its interests in oil fields on and offshore, along with a stake in a power plant. Oando said in an October statement it had secured $815 million in credit, calling it an “important step towards closing” the deal with Conoco.Separately, Oando’s parent has agreed to acquire Conoco’s stake in a Nigerian project to chill natural gas into liquid form for around $100 million. That deal is expected to stretch into 2014.
An Oando spokesman said the company was “confident” the deal would close by the end of November and the market would be kept abreast of any updates.
Conoco has toned down its optimism about the deal in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company noted Nov. 5 it could keep Oando’s $435 million deposit “if closing does not occur due to default by the buyer or failure to obtain all consents required under Nigerian petroleum laws.”
A Conoco spokesman said the company is still aiming to finish all of the deals it has made public by the end of 2013, including the sale of its Algeria unit, noting that “some involve complex full country exits and take time.”
Meanwhile, the value of Conoco’s assets in Nigeria has fallen to $371 million from $600 million in December 2012, according to company statements. Conoco says that the assets have not been impaired and the change in value is the result distributing cash balances.
– WALL STREET JOURNAL
Oil
FG Introduces New Incentives To Revitalize Nigeria’s Oil & Gas Industry
In a strategic move to revitalize Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, the Federal Government has unveiled two key fiscal incentives aimed at attracting investment and enhancing energy security.
The announcement was made by Mr. Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy on Wednesday.
The first initiative, the Value Added Tax (VAT) Modification Order 2024, introduces critical exemptions for essential energy products and infrastructure, including Diesel, Feed Gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Electric Vehicles, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure, and Clean Cooking Equipment.
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These exemptions are designed to reduce living costs for Nigerians, promote energy security, and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy alternatives.
The second initiative, the Notice of Tax Incentives for Deep Offshore Oil & Gas Production, offers new tax relief options for deep offshore exploration projects.
This measure aims to position Nigeria’s deep offshore basin as a premier destination for international oil and gas investments, boosting the country’s appeal to foreign investors.
These reforms are part of a broader set of policy initiatives, known as Policy Directives 40-42, endorsed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The directives reflect the administration’s commitment to fostering sustainable development in the energy sector and enhancing Nigeria’s competitive edge in the global oil and gas market.
Business
Tinubu set to approve ExxonMobil-Seplat oil deal, expands CNG bus initiative
By Yemie Adeoye
NIGERIA’s President Bola Tinubu has announced that the protracted ExxonMobil-Seplat upstream oil divestment will be formally approved by the Minister of petroleum within a matter of days, just as he announced his government’s intention to expand the Compress natural Gas, CNG buses initiative.
The President who stated this during his Independence day nationwide broadcast stated that the move is in line with his administration’s commitment to free enterprise, free entry and free exit in investments which is the hallmark of his administration investment policy.
“Fellow compatriots, our administration is committed to free enterprise, free entry, and free exit in investments while maintaining the sanctity and efficacy of our regulatory processes. This principle guides the divestment transactions in our upstream petroleum sector, where we are committed to changing the fortune positively. As such, the ExxonMobil Seplat divestment will receive ministerial approval in a matter of days, having been concluded by the regulator, NUPRC, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA. This was done in the same manner as other qualified divestments approved in the sector.”
The President also seized the opportunity to plead with Nigerians to be patient with his administration’s reform policies. “As your President, I assure you that we are committed to finding sustainable solutions to alleviate the suffering of our citizens. Once again, I plead for your patience as the reforms we are implementing show positive signs, and we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel”.
“Our energy transition programme is on course. We are expanding the adoption of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas for mass transit with private sector players. The Federal Government is ready to assist the thirty-six States and FCT in acquiring CNG buses for cheaper public transportation.
Fellow Nigerians, while we are working to stabilise the economy and secure the country, we also seek to foster national unity and build social harmony and cohesion. Our economy can only thrive when there is peace”. he enthused.
Oil
ExxonMobil To Invest $10bn In Nigeria’s Deep-Water Oil Operations
As part of the administration’s push to improve Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed support for ExxonMobil’s plan to invest $10 billion in the country’s deep-water oil sector.
Speaking on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, during a meeting with ExxonMobil executives at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Shettima called the investment “a clear testament to the administration’s economic reforms and investor-friendly policies.”
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This announcement follows news that international maritime company DP World intends to develop a multibillion-dollar port project in Nigeria.
Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, shared the development in a statement on Wednesday. He quoted Shettima as saying: “ExxonMobil’s potential investment aligns with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for a more investment-friendly Nigeria.
We are committed to fostering an environment that supports such transformative projects.”Shettima also discussed the administration’s broader efforts to improve the ease of doing business, highlighting the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which aims to simplify bureaucratic processes, enhance transparency, and offer fiscal incentives to attract global investors.
“Our administration has taken bold steps to unify the exchange rate, remove fuel subsidies, and implement tax reforms. These measures, though challenging in the short term, are intended to create a stable and predictable business environment in the long term,” he added.
On the oil and gas sector, Shettima mentioned that the government is revising the fiscal framework for deep-water operations to attract investment while ensuring fair returns for the Nigerian people.