North Sea oil and gas organisations will gain unprecedented access to key decision-makers in a growing energy market when the second Scotland Africa Oil & Gas Forum takes place in Aberdeen next month.

High-level speakers including energy ministers, African national oil and international oil company CEOs and the main private sector oil and gas organisations on the continent will examine both current and future market conditions and prospects during the event, which takes place in collaboration with the Scotland Africa Business Exchange.

Despite the downturn in the global oil and gas price, exploration, development and production continues across Africa. First oil has been produced from the TEN field offshore Ghana and Cairn Energy has completed its ninth successful well in Senegal in three years. Further south, Tullow has identified encouraging oil plays in their two licence areas offshore Namibia; while pipeline and refinery construction opportunities are moving forward in East Africa with the presidents of Uganda and Tanzania recently signing the East African Crude Oil Pipe Line Agreement. Major developments are also progressing across Kenya, Mozambique and Somalia.

His Excellency Thierry Tanoh, Cote d’Ivoire’s Minister of Petroleum; will join Kapuulya Musomba, CEO of the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation; Carlos Zacarias, chairman of Mozambique’s Institute of National Petroleum; and senior officials from the Ugandan government at the event.

The conference will also include presentations from the Energy Industries Council (EIC) on opportunities and overview of sub-Saharan Africa projects; and practical guidance for Scottish firms looking to do business in the region from UK Export Finance.

Frazer Lang, managing director of the Scotland Africa Business Exchange, says, “Uncertainty with regulatory frameworks and complications around the interpretation of updated or developing energy policies are often cited as one of the main barriers to companies and investors entering African markets. To have the high-level delegations attending and speaking, those who actually formulate and implement these policies, is a unique opportunity for companies to listen to explanations first hand and ask direct questions.”

“As the market has matured, the opportunities, for service and training companies in particular, across the supply chain has increased exponentially and the expertise that Scotland has in these areas fits well with the objectives of many African Governments. It’s not too much to say that Scotland currently holds a competitive advantage in many areas that should be seized by companies in this sector,” adds Lang.

The Scotland Africa Oil and Gas Forum will take place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on 21 November 2017.

Tags: Scotland Africa Business Exchange, Scotland Africa Oil & Gas Forum