Ghana Oil Watch is an oil and gas education project with the mission to search, publish and archive public information on Ghana’s oil and gas industry.
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Court Room Photographs: Ghana - Cote d'Ivoire Maritime Boundary Case
https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3767-court-room-photographs-ghana-cote-d-ivoire-maritime-boundary-case https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3767-court-room-photographs-ghana-cote-d-ivoire-maritime-boundary-case
Photograghs
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(Super User) Ghana Oil & Gas News Mon, 30 Mar 2015 21:05:34 +0000
Ivory Coast says Ghana's oil activity in disputed zone threatens interests
https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3766-ivory-coast-says-ghana-s-oil-activity-in-disputed-zone-threatens-interests https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3766-ivory-coast-says-ghana-s-oil-activity-in-disputed-zone-threatens-interests
* Two countries in dispute over oil-rich border area
* Oral arguments opened on Sunday at international tribunal
ABIDJAN, March 29 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast argued in an international tribunal on Sunday that allowing Ghana to continue oil exploration in a disputed offshore area pending a ruling on their border line would do irreparable damage to its economy and energy policy.
The two West African neighbours have asked the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg to rule on the location of their shared maritime boundary.
London-listed Tullow Oil is due to finish work on its TEN project in the disputed zone and start pumping oil by mid-2016.
Ivory Coast has submitted a request to ITLOS for a suspension of Ghana's ongoing exploration activities in the zone pending a final ruling, which could take three years.
A decision on Ivory Coast's request is expected next month.
In its first round of oral arguments, Ivory Coast said Ghana was accelerating development in the zone, which would leave it to face a fait accompli.
Michael Wood, a special adviser to the Ivorian delegation, said that not granting the suspension "could irreparably compromise Cote d'Ivoire's entitlement to formulate and pursue a national policy with respect to the use of natural resources".
Paul Reichler, a member of Ghana's legal team, said that Ivory Coast had for at least the last 40 years accepted the demarcation that Accra considers to be the boundary between the two nations.
"There was an agreed border separating their respective maritime territories, and it consisted of an equidistant line whose specific coordinates were identified and were reflected in their oil concession agreements," he said.
The argument was rejected at the tribunal by Ibrahima Diaby, director-general of hydrocarbons for Ivory Coast's energy ministry.
"I regret that Ghana should rewrite our shared history by asserting that Cote d'Ivoire expressly accepted as a maritime boundary between the two states the line along which oil blocks were granted by the two states," he said.
Ghana is seeking a dismissal of Ivory Coast's request for a provisional suspension.
Ghana downplayed fears of a possible suspension of the TEN project earlier this month after Ivory Coast introduced its request, saying a ruling in favour of the Ivorian government was "highly unlikely".
But Tullow lost over 200 million pounds ($308 million) of its market value on March 2 over concerns that the boundary dispute could delay its TEN project.
source: reuters
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(Super User) Ghana Oil & Gas News Mon, 30 Mar 2015 20:26:48 +0000
Ghana opens defence against Ivory Coast in oil dispute
https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3765-ghana-opens-defence-against-ivory-coast-in-oil-dispute https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3765-ghana-opens-defence-against-ivory-coast-in-oil-dispute
Ghana’s legal team has opened its defense at the International Tribunal of the law of the Sea (ITLOS) after Ivory Coast sued Ghana, seeking to stop Tullow Oil and its partners from exploring oil over a disputed oil block. The dispute involves ownership of portions of the country’s second biggest oil field the Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme (TEN) project.
Ghana’s legal team led by Attorney-General Marietta Brew Oppong-Appiah prayed the court to dismiss Ivory Coast’s claims since it could cost the nation over 2.2 billion dollars by 2017. In her introductory remarks Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Marietta Brew Oppong-Appiah argued, that the claims of Ivory Coast were unfounded and unjustified. “If the order were granted and all work had to stop, it will have a devastating impact on our oil production” she maintained and also accused Ivory Coast of making “unfound allegations” against Ghana and Tullow Oil company. But the Ivorian legal team disagrees. To them grave damage has already been caused to their country because of Ghana’s stance on the ownership of the block. Cote d’Ivoire opened its case in the morning, also insisting that “grave damage” has “already been caused and continues to cause grave damage” to their country because of Ghana’s stance that the territory is theirs. - By: Rayomond Acquah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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(Super User) Ghana Oil & Gas News Mon, 30 Mar 2015 20:24:36 +0000
Ivory Coast questions Ghana’s data in maritime boundary dispute case
https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3764-ivory-coast-questions-ghana-s-data-in-maritime-boundary-dispute-case https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3764-ivory-coast-questions-ghana-s-data-in-maritime-boundary-dispute-case
On the second day of legal proceedings at the International Tribunal of the Sea in Hamburg, Germany, Ivory Coast is questioning the credibility of data and maps presented by Ghana to justify her claim over the Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme (TEN) fields operated by Tullow Oil.
An external lawyer for Ivory Coast stated that “Ghana cannot be trusted to have independently secured these maps and the data without Ivory Coast having copies” and added that “since these maps are in the sole possession of Ghana they should be prevented from using them in this litigation, because the authenticity of these maps cannot be independently verified.”
Concluding the oral arguments for Cote D’ Ivoire Dr Ibrahima Diaby, Director-General of Hydrocarbons, Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, reiterated the need for the provisional measures to be granted.
“Looking at the written and oral submissions by Cote d’ Ivoire and without prejudice to the decision on the merit of the case, we request this special chamber to prescribe provisional measures that Ghana take all steps to suspend oil exploration and exploitations in the disputed area. They also want Ghana to “refrain from granting any new permits for oil exploration and exploitation in the disputed area.”
They are also asking that the tribunal directs Ghana to take steps necessary to prevent information that resulted from the past, ongoing or future exploration conducted by Ghana or with its authorization in the disputed area from being used in any way whatever to the detriment of Cote d’ Ivoire.
Cote d’ Ivoire also wants Ghana to desist and refrain from any unilateral action entailing a risk of prejudice to the rights of Cote d’ Ivoire and any unilateral action that might lead to aggravating the dispute. He finally thanked the registrar “for the remarkable quality of their work”.
The Ghanaian team yesterday argued that if the court upholds Ivory Coast’s claim over the oil fields, it would result in a huge loss to Ghana.
Ghana’s legal team opened its defense at the International Tribunal of the law of the Sea (ITLOS) after Ivory Coast sued Ghana, seeking to stop Tullow Oil and its partners from exploring oil over a disputed oil block.
The dispute involves ownership of portions of the country’s second biggest oil field the TEN projects. Ghana will at 3pm on Monday have the opportunity to respond to the statement from the Ivorians and deliver their final statement.
Meanwhile an international law lecturer at the University Of Ghana Dr. Poku Adusei says Ghana should present a compelling argument in order to secure the ruling in her favour.
For him “this preliminary case can be likened to securing an interim injunction in a matter that is before a court, so the court will have to balance the convenience of the case and see who have to suffer more hardship before granting or refusing the order, the more reason why we need to present a more compelling argument.”
By: Raymond Acquah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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(Super User) Ghana Oil & Gas News Mon, 30 Mar 2015 20:22:11 +0000
Where were you when oil permits were granted? – Ghana dismisses Ivory Coast maritime claim
https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3763-where-were-you-when-oil-permits-were-granted-ghana-dismisses-ivory-coast-maritime-claim https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3763-where-were-you-when-oil-permits-were-granted-ghana-dismisses-ivory-coast-maritime-claim
Ghana has vehemently defended its decision to invest and explore a maritime territory that is now in serious dispute.
Ivory Coast, who are claimants to the TEN fields operated by British company, Tullow Oil in Ghana, told a panel of judges at the International Tribunal in Hamburg that Ghana risked losing the disputed oil fields when she decided to explore the field.
But Ghana's Attorney General Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong who is leading a crack team of international lawyers said the claim by Ivory Coast is unsustainable.
According to Ghana’s legal team, Ghana did not consider it risky when she was granting oil exploration permits in the TEN oil fields because ownership of the oil fields was not in dispute.
The oil field with its estimated 1.2billion barrels of deposits was within Ghana’s territorial boundary.
“Cote d’Ivoire had full knowledge and never objected”, an external lawyer argued on day two of court proceedings which was triggered after Ivory Coast proceeded to the Tribunal.
The team argued that the Ivorian authorities exercised no sense of “urgency” because they did not raise any issue about Ghana’s oil find in 2007.
Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Marietta Brew Oppong-Appiah argued Ivory Coast was only now “trying to move a long and established boundary” that had been agreed between the two neighbouring countries over 40 years ago.
Marietta Brew Oppong Appiah "not good enough" for Ivory Coast to go to court claiming plausible rights over the oil fields "without mentioning the history" behind the boundary which Ghana claims their neighbour won't to move.
She says Ivory Coast cannot insist on the rightfulness of their claim "and at the same time say let’s not talk about the historical position or Ghana’s rights….there is usually a reason why a party does not want to discuss the merits [of history]"
She suggested that Ghana's neighbour is avoiding this history because it benefits Ghana's case.
The lawyer also argued that although Ghana has presented witness testimony and written submissions, their opposing legal team has not challenged Ghana’s witness or given Ghana any written testimony.
She concluded by telling the court that the case is “the most straightforward” trial in the tribunal because Ivory Coast has not been able to present “credible material to support [their] position.
source: myjoyonline
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(Super User) Ghana Oil & Gas News Mon, 30 Mar 2015 20:16:32 +0000
Ghana Gas commences payment of Ȼ7.8 million compensation affected farmers
https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3762-ghana-gas-commences-payment-of-7-8-million-compensation-affected-farmers https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3762-ghana-gas-commences-payment-of-7-8-million-compensation-affected-farmers
Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) will today commence the payment of compensation totalling Ȼ7.8 million to about 800 project-affected farmers in 23 communities along the Essiama-Prestea Lateral Line in the Western Region.
The payment is part of the early phase of the Gas Infrastructure Project from Essiama to Prestea.
Corporate Communications Manager of Ghana Gas, Alfred Ogbamey, in a statement, said the Ȼ7.8 million would be paid as part of the compensation package for crops belonging to farmers.
It said beneficiary communities include Prestea, Banaho, Gwira Bibini Nsuaem. Kutokrom, Mbease Nsuta,' Anyinam, Bondae, Ahomkakrom, Abrodiem, Wiawso, Esamzam, Ma Nyame Hunu, Bokazo, Krobo Junction, Eshiem, Tumentu, Dwira Sem- tum, Assuawaah, Angedware, Atabobo, Aluka, Teleku Bokazo and Essiama.
The statement explained claimants must come to the compensation grounds with their original Form Fs issued to them by the Lands Valuation Division (LVD) during the enumeration of the crops.
In addition, payment would only be effected upon receipt of the Form F, which would be used as evidence of the entitlement of the claimant to the compensation.
According to the statement, for the avoidance of doubt, all claimants around the Essiama end of the EP Line would have their compensation claims handled at the Essiama Palace whereas those around the Prestea end of the line would have their claims handled at the Anyinam Community Centre.
In the statement, Ghana Gas added that it is ready to pay compensation for lands compulsorily acquired for the Western Corridor Gas Infrastructure Development Project.
However, the company said it is awaiting directives from the Lands Commission with respect to the validated beneficiaries of land compensation. "We, therefore, urge claimants to the lands in question to adhere to the following processes to expedite the process of payment to them.
"Claimants of land compensation are expected to make claims to the Lands Commission within six months of the publication of compulsory acquisition notices in the national dailies.
"The said compulsory acquisition notices in this case were published in August 2014.
"Upon validation of uncontested claims by the Lands Commission, Ghana Gas will be obliged to pay the compensation to the claimant," it stated.
Ghana Gas, therefore, appeals to affected claimants to exercise patience while they go through the validation process of the Lands Commission.
The statement said, "We appeal to claimants who may have difficulties in preparing their claims to contact the offices of Ghana Gas for assistance. Officials are ready to assist them to the best of their abilities."
source: myjoyonline
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(Super User) Ghana Oil & Gas News Mon, 30 Mar 2015 20:13:20 +0000
FMC Technologies and Technip to launch Forsys Subsea
https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3761-fmc-technologies-and-technip-to-launch-forsys-subsea https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3761-fmc-technologies-and-technip-to-launch-forsys-subsea
FMC Technologies Inc. and Technip today signed an agreement to form an exclusive alliance and to launch Forsys Subsea, a 50/50 joint venture that will unite the skills and capabilities of two subsea industry leaders. This alliance will redefine the way subsea fields are designed, delivered and maintained.
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(Super User) Ghana Oil & Gas News Mon, 23 Mar 2015 14:08:15 +0000
Tullow secures an additional US$450 million of capital under its existing credit facilities
https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3760-tullow-secures-an-additional-us-450-million-of-capital-under-its-existing-credit-facilities https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3760-tullow-secures-an-additional-us-450-million-of-capital-under-its-existing-credit-facilities
20 March 2015 – Tullow Oil plc (Tullow) is pleased to announce the following update on its financing and banking arrangements. Tullow and its lending banks have:
• completed the six-monthly Reserve Based Lend (RBL) redetermination process; the quality of our asset portfolio supported a US$200 million increase in lenders commitments, increasing available debt capacity from US$3.5 billion to US$3.7 billion, despite lower oil prices;
• arranged an additional US$250 million of lenders commitments, secured through the corporate credit facility which has been increased from US$750 million to US$ 1 billion; and
• agreed an amendment to the financial covenant on the RBL and corporate facility to address the risk of any potential covenant breach during a period of oil price volatility and investment in production and development assets in West Africa.
As a result, the Group has around US$6.3 billion of currently committed debt facilities with no near term maturities.
Ian Springett, Chief Financial Officer, Tullow Oil plc, commented today:
“Today’s announcement marks another important step in the comprehensive re-setting of our business and financing and demonstrates the resilience of our debt capital structure and the quality of our portfolio to generate significant liquidity, even at low oil prices. We have diversified our balance sheet, significantly reduced exploration capital expenditure, restructured the business to generate projected savings of US$500 million, suspended the dividend and are also benefiting from our ongoing hedging programme. The strong support we have received from our relationship banks ensures that Tullow is well funded and is an important endorsement of our financial strategy and assets.”
source: Tullow Oil
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(Super User) Ghana Oil & Gas News Fri, 20 Mar 2015 08:59:09 +0000
TRIBUNAL PROCEDDINGS: Dispute Concerning Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire in the Atlantic Ocean (Ghana/Côte d'Ivoire)
https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3759-tribunal-proceddings-dispute-concerning-delimitation-of-the-maritime-boundary-between-ghana-and-cote-d-ivoire-in-the-atlantic-ocean-ghana-cote-d-ivoire https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3759-tribunal-proceddings-dispute-concerning-delimitation-of-the-maritime-boundary-between-ghana-and-cote-d-ivoire-in-the-atlantic-ocean-ghana-cote-d-ivoire
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea - Case No. 23
Request for provisional measures - Public hearing to be held on 29 and 30 March 2015
ITLOS/Press 224: Côte d'Ivoire seeks provisional measures in the dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire in the Atlantic Ocean
ITLOS/Press 222: Dispute Concerning Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire submitted to a Special Chamber of the Tribunal
Photographs
The Special Chamber
President of the Special Chamber, Judge Bouguetaia
The courtroom
The courtroom
The delegation of Ghana
The delegation of Côte d'Ivoire
The delegation of Ghana
The delegation of Côte d'Ivoire
Ms Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Agent of Ghana
Dr Ibrahima Diaby, Director-General of Hydrocarbons, Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Co-Agent of Côte d'Ivoire
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(Super User) Ghana Oil & Gas News Thu, 19 Mar 2015 13:54:31 +0000
Ghana-Cote d'Ivoire Maritime Border Dispute: Time to Act Strategically? (Part 2)
https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3758-ghana-cote-d-ivoire-maritime-border-dispute-time-to-act-strategically-part-2 https://ghanaoilwatch.org/index.php/ghana-oil-and-gas-news/3758-ghana-cote-d-ivoire-maritime-border-dispute-time-to-act-strategically-part-2
In an interesting twist of events, the Ivorian government formally requested the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for a suspension of oil exploration and production activities in the disputed maritime boundary pending the resolution of the case in 2017.
Methinks however that the Ivorians have begun to sense defeat even before the case is adjudicated upon at the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS - Case No. 23) and want to play the strategic game (from a game theory perspective) by pushing for Ghana to stop exploration and production in the said area. ITLOS is expected to give its “full verdict” on the dispute in late 2017, although a decision on the “preliminary measures” filed by Cote d'Ivoire should come by the end of April according to a Tullow press release.
The Tano basin is a proven petroleum basin with a prolific hydrocarbon play potential holding an estimated 8 billion barrels of oil equivalent potential. So, this comes as no surprise to some of us who have been following events in the region. The disputed area covers portions of the Jubilee Field, Tweneboa, Enyenra, the Owo discoveries, West Tano-1X find and the deep-water Tano block in Ghana’s territorial waters. Tullow, Kosmos, Vanco and others are exploring for commercial oil plays in this ultra-deepwater terrain. Arbitration proceedings which were commenced by Ghana in 2014 in an effort to resolve a dispute with regard to the maritime boundary between Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire fell through. In its request, Côte d‘Ivoire is asking the Special Chamber to prescribe as provisional measures that Ghana shall:
“Take all steps to suspend all oil exploration and exploitation operations under way in the disputed area;
Refrain from granting any new permit for oil exploration and exploitation in the disputed area;
Take all steps necessary to prevent information resulting from past, present or future exploration operations in the disputed area conducted by Ghana, or with its authorization, from being used in any way whatsoever to the detriment of Ccôte D’ivoire;
And, generally, take all necessary steps to preserve the continental shelf, the waters super-adjacent to it, and its subsoil; and
Suspend, and refrain from, any unilateral activity entailing a risk of prejudice to the rights of Côte d’Ivoire and from any unilateral action which could lead to aggravating the dispute”
What’s the price to pay?
The Ivorians, in pushing for a postponement of oil and gas activities using legal gymnastics pending the final resolution of the case at the Hamburg tribunal can significantly derail the Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme project (TEN) on the offshore Deepwater Tano block by about two years, time Ghana cannot afford to waste. The TEN project remains key to Ghana’s medium term energy security goals as gas from the field is expected to significantly contribute to thermal power generation as we wean ourselves of supply from the ever unreliable West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP).
Tullow Oil remarked in a press release that “… advice from external counsel is that Ghana has a strong case under international law that the current boundary location, which follows AN EQUIDISTANCE LINE, will be upheld by ITLOS in accordance with the Law of the Sea Convention to which both states are party. Work on the TEN project continues and remains on schedule and on budget for first oil in mid-2016.” Tullow Oil lost over $308 million (7.7%) of its market value on Monday, amidst concerns that a boundary dispute between Ivory Coast and Ghana could delay the TEN project.
In the joint declaration of Judges Nelson, Chandrasekhara Rao and Cot in the dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal (Bangladesh/Myanmar) they note: "Priority is given today to the the equidistance/relevant circumstances method. Resort to equidistance as a first step leads to a delimitation that is simple and precise. However complicated the coastline involved is, there is always one and only one equidistance line, whose construction results from geometry and can be produced through graphic and analytical methods. A provisional equidistance line is to be drawn, calculated by reference to adequate base points chosen along the continental coasts of both parties. As the International Court of Justice stated authoritatively in the Maritime Delimitation in the Black Sea (Romania v. Ukraine) Judgment, it is only if there are compelling reasons that make this unfeasible on objective"
The Judgement of the ITLOS tribunal in the maritime boundary dispute between Bangladesh and Myanmar was the first decision on the delimitation of the continental shelf beyond the 200-nautical-mile (nm) limit (outer continental shelf or OCS). Bangladesh won the case and consequently the territorial sea was delimited by an equidistance line. In relation to the exclusive economic zone and outer continental shelf, the tribunal decided to draw a provisional equidistance line which it then adjusted to take into account the concavity of the Bangladesh's coastline.
Though the jury is out on this (early days yet), the case somewhat favours Ghana more than Ivory Coast based on the equidistance principle which was used to delimit the maritime border. However, should the Ivorians succeed in winning the preliminary hearing at the Tribunal, the TEN project could face an almost two year hiatus. There are also significant risks should the substantive case go the way of the Ivorians. What happens to sunk investment costs, project delays, legal issues, new contracts, etc?
Recent Experiences from Other Regions
Similar disputes between Nigeria and Sao Tomé and Principé continues to highlight the fact that geology is no respecter of artificial political boundaries. The resolution of the dispute led to the development of the Joint Development Zone (JDZ) and revenue sharing agreements. Eritrea and Ethiopia fought deadly wars over land and territories in the 1980s and 1990s, as have Libya and Chad for similar reasons.
Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya likewise have had border disputes and conflicts. Nigeria and Cameroon clashed several times over the oil and gas rich Bakassi Peninsula which was later settled in favour of Cameroon by the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Post the ruling on the case in 2017, Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire should push for and agree on a framework for collaboration within a JDZ framework for fields which straddle both maritime borders. Luckily, the new Petroleum and Exploration Bill anticipates this.
Ghana’s legal team has opened its defense at the International Tribunal of the law of the Sea (ITLOS) after Ivory Coast sued Ghana, seeking to stop Tullow Oil and its partners from exploring oil over a disputed oil block.
On the second day of legal proceedings at the International Tribunal of the Sea in Hamburg, Germany, Ivory Coast is questioning the credibility of data and maps presented by Ghana to justify her claim over the Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme (TEN) fields operated by Tullow Oil.
20 March 2015 – Tullow Oil plc (Tullow) is pleased to announce the following update on its financing and banking arrangements. Tullow and its lending banks have: