Page 19 - Nigeriaone mag 2 edition en

Gas a viable alternative for energy transition in Africa

Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of State in charge of Petroleum Resources, fervent defender of gas as an alternative to the energy transition

Energy transition makes the headlines nowadays. compared to renewable energy.
Most nations seem to agree that important steps The Russia and Ukraine war shows the strategic
need to be taken to save the planet and achieve net importance of natural gas in Europe, which will be
zero emission. Sadly, the western countries tend to ongoing for a while. Important projects such as the
be more in favor of abandoning the use of fossil Trans-Saharan gas pipeline estimated at $13bn with
energy for other “cleaner” energy. a projection of 30 billion cubic meters a year being
In the meantime, the African continent that pollutes supplied to Europe, are going to emerge as the
the least, about 3%, has undergone harsh decision makers are becoming more conscious of
consequences from the rest of the world. Africa has the need to take steps towards the achievement of
important natural gas reserves estimated at 231 projects of this kind.
billion cubic meters and has made very important In addition, natural gas is a worldwide convoyed
discoveries in recent years. strategic commodity and according to Sinopec, the
Honorable Minister Timipre Sylva has once said national Chinese oil company, the demand for local
“the country has accidentally discovered 206 trillion natural gas will reach 395 Bcm by the end of 2022, a
cubic feet of gas reserves while in search of crude 7% increase from 370 Bcm in 2021.
oil”. In Senegal for example, an important reserve The average demand for natural gas in the United
estimated at 15 trillion cubic feet of natural gas is States last winter was higher than the supply by 14.9
being explored by BP, just to name a few places. billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). All over the world,
The commodity is abundant in Africa and countries natural gas seems to be an important and strategic
like Nigeria have claimed that the energy transition source of energy.
will be made through natural gas. As we know The time has come for African nations to redefine a
natural gas is far less polluting than oil and unified position regarding energy, a well-sounded
cheaper to exploit. It is also a non-renewable, energy mix approach based on the available natural
odorless, colorless hydrocarbon and non-toxic. resources in the continent. This only could lead to
Natural gas is less expensive than other fossil fuels the harmonization of energy policies throughout
and more environmentally friendly. It is extremely the African countries.
reliable, easier to store and transport when

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