The second edition of the most comprehensive publication and awards on Ghana’s oil and gas industry, The Oil & Gas Year Ghana 2013, has been launched in Accra. The Oil & Gas Year Ghana 2013 book uncovers the dynamics of the country’s oil and gas value chain and its periphery.

The report, published by Wildcat International, was endorsed by and produced in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and Stratcomm Africa with sponsorship from Schlumberger and Kosmos Energy.

The Oil & Gas Year Ghana 2013 brings together private and public stakeholders in Ghana’s hydrocarbon’s industry.

President John Dramani Mahama in a viewpoint of the book, on the future and governance of Ghana’s oil and gas industry stressed that “Ghana approaches its recent oil and gas discoveries with a strong sense of the history of the industry. Across the globe, time has shown that natural resource-driven prosperity is not so much a result of abundance as much as successful asset management and integration into the larger economy.”

Mr. Alex mould, Chief Executive of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) in a speech read on his behalf stated that the publication will serve as another invaluable reference point for various stakeholders involved in Ghana’s petroleum sector.

“Last year, we cited considerable amount of international focus on Ghana as an emerging hub for oil & gas activity in West Africa. This continues to grow, and this Ghana 2013 edition of ‘The Oil and Gas Year’ provides further insights into policy directions, regulatory framework, and new strategies that offer opportunities to investors.

New policies and laws have been enacted to create an enabling environment for continued investments that offer fair and decent return to our partners and to ensure that benefits are maximized for Ghanaians. We estimate that about US$15 – US$20bn will be invested within the decade to appraise and develop new discoveries, including the infrastructure to support it,” he stated.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC), Mr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey noted that Oil & Gas has been a pillar in Ghana’s economy and any effort that highlights the hard work and determination of the leadership of the industry needs to be recommended.

The CEO who received an award at the ceremony mentioned that he believes the award primarily accounted for the considerable achievement by the GNGC in the development of gas within short period of time.

“Many argue that Ghana could not build a gas company but the late Prof. Evans Atta Mills saw in us the ability to lead, deliver, develop our gas resources and gave us the opportunity. It his vision which gave birth to Ghana Gas, after his death the mobilisation of resources at Ghana Gas has intensified the more through the wisdom and efforts of President John Mahama,” Mr. Yankey said.

The Deputy Minister of Petroleum Benjamin Spencer Kwaku Dagadu and Kosmos Energy Country Manager Ken Keag were in attendance.

Some selected figures received awards for remarkable contributions to Ghana’s oil and gas industry in 2013.

AWARDS

Gas infrastructure was at the centre of Ghana’s energy industry in 2013. George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, CEO of Ghana Gas, received the Man of the Year award for his stewardship of the $850-million Western Corridor Gas Infrastructure Project.

The New Development of the Year award was presented to Tullow Oil for the TEN fields project, which is due to bring new oil onstream in 2016.

The West African Gas Pipeline Company was awarded Engineering Project of the Year for the critical $40-million repair job that brought much-needed gas supply back online, this award was received by MD Walter Perez.

The GNPC Oil and Gas Learning Foundation, a $3-million programme aimed at accelerating capacity building for Ghanaians in oil and gas, won Education Initiative of the Year and was represented by Pastor Andrew KL Badoo, Executive Secretary.

The recently-inaugurated Enterprise Development Centre was presented with the Local Content Initiative of the Year award, received by MD Shika Acolatse.

Power Project of the Year was awarded to the Bui Hydroelectric Power Plant, represented by CEO Jabesh Amissah-Arthur.