Mar 2002

As the second-largest gas producer in Africa and potentially the continent’s largest crude producer, Angola is a major player in energy supply from sub-Saharan Africa. Increasingly, the focus of exploration is on the country’s deep- and ultra deep-water areas, writes David Townsend

TotalFinaElf has been operating in Angola for almost 50 years. It recently brought on stream the deep-water Girassol oilfield, which is expected to reach full production in the coming weeks. David Townsend looks at the company’s operations in the country and speaks to Girassol’s project manager

North Africa’s gas export capacity could increase by 90% within four years, giving Europe access to an additional flow larger than Norway’s entire production. If all of the planned new capacity is constructed, the big-three North African gas producers – Algeria, Egypt and Libya – will together be able to supply nearly as much gas to Europe as Russia. New capacity in Nigeria and Angola will also be seeking markets in Europe, Martin Quinlan writes

News that the US will allow four oil firms to renegotiate contracts with Libya is being viewed as a sign of progress in the state’s attempts to rejoin the international community. But the path to Libya’s complete rehabilitation since the suspension of sanctions in 1999 remains slow, writes David Townsend

Everything seems to be moving in the wrong direction for tanker owners. The dynamics of oil shipments are also changing, as non-Opec producers raise output to the detriment of Mideast producers, changing patterns in oil routes and reducing tonne-mile shipments. Owners of LPG carriers also face a weaker market and, with gas prices depressed, there are unlikely to be major changes for LNG, writes Sidney Holloway

Trading for refined products tankers has started 2002 on a more positive note, with daily earnings in many trades up on 2001, particularly for voyages to the east. However, earnings are nonetheless substantially lower than last year, reports Sidney Holloway

The last few years will be remembered as the age of the mega-merger for the oil industry. The list of the top players formed from the merger boom is short and comprehensive – totalling just half a dozen firms. But analysts agree that the age of super-sizing in the sector is almost at an end, writes Roger James

Whatever direction it takes, industry analysts are agreed that the consolidation wave that swept across North America’s oil and gas landscape last year has yet to reach its crest. WJ Simpson analyses merger trends in the US and Canada

After the euphoria, and the recriminations, of record profits for the majors in 2000, it was back to earth last year as the slide in oil prices more than offset the continuing gains from earlier times. But there is detectable optimism about the future, writes Derek Bamber

The latest, shaky attempts to secure a peace agreement in the civil war in Sudan offer the promise of long-awaited stability and the possibility of progress in upstream development. David Townsend reports on the country’s potential and speaks to one of the country’s foreign operators

In case we had forgotten that there are lies, damned lies and statistics, Enron has just proved it all over again. But even when numbers are reported to us clearly and accurately they still have the capability to mislead. Liz Bossley looks at the power and pitfalls of energy statistics

The world will one day run out of oil, but that day could be much further away than once thought. If the latest estimates of vast non-conventional oil deposits are to be believed, heavy-oil reserves in Canada and Venezuela could double the life of the world’s resources, writes Derek Brower

A coherent method of cross-border transmission charging is required for the development of a liquid energy market. But is the best method transactional and volume-based or related to grid connection and access-based?

California's electricity crisis has shaken the worldwide electricity reform movement, intensifying debate on the merits of competitive generation markets. As Canada prepares to enter the gauntlet, what lessons can be learned? By Mark Jaccard C.D. Howe Institute

When Enron filed for protection from creditors in a New York Bankruptcy Court last year the biggest such filing in history commenced. The implications of such an event are widespread

In 2000, FERC mandated the creation of Regional Transmission Organisations to control the bulk power transmission system in the US. What progress has been made in their creation?

One of the major casualties of the long period of military rule in Nigeria was its electricity supply system.

Proponents of renewable generation argue that government-backed financial support is justified for the benefit of the environment. But are subsidies appropriate in a market economy?