Government to construct trunk line to transport wet gas
The Ministry of Energy on Wednesday announced plans for the construction of a trunk line to transport wet gas from the jubilee fields to an onshore processing plant at Bonyere in the Western Region.
Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Deputy Minister of Energy, who made this known in Sekondi, said the dry gas from the processing plant would be evacuated through the pipelines offshore to power the Osagyefo Power Barge at Effasu and the Volta River Authority power plants at Aboadze near Takoradi.
The Minister was addressing an emergency meeting of the Regional House of Chiefs.
Mr Buah said the dry gas would be used to power the thermal plants to generate electricity at a lower cost compared to crude oil.
He said proposals have been made for the possible use of the gas to fire plants for an integrated aluminium project from bauxite deposits in the country.
He said liquid residue from the project would provide the raw material for the envisaged petrochemical industry for the production of fertiliser, ethanol and ammonia among other produce.
Mr Buah said the President had established a Gas Task Force comprising Ghanaian professionals to ensure that the Gas Infrastructure Project is undertaken as a matter of urgency for the achievement of the industrialisation strategy of the Better Ghana Agenda.
Mr Buah said Cabinet had approved revisions to the existing petroleum exploration and production legislation and it is being taken through all the requisite procedures in Parliament.
He said the Petroleum Revenue Management Bill is expected to ensure transparent and efficient utilisation of the revenue into the national economy.
Mr Buah assured the house that the development and environmental
interests of the region is being championed by government in all deliberations.
He said for the purpose of transparency and accountability in oil revenue management, cabinet had given the nod for the extension of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative principles in the mining sector to the oil and gas sector.
Mr Buah said to ensure maximum participation of Ghanaians in the petroleum activities, the Ministry of Energy has come out with a policy framework on Local Content and Local Participation in the Petroleum activities which has been approved by Cabinet.
The Deputy Minister said the goal is to maximise national value creation along the petroleum value chain in the form of employment, value addition and transfer of technology and knowledge.
Mr Joe Ghartey, Member of Parliament for Essikadu-Ketan, proposed the establishment of an Oil and Gas Commission to oversee the industry.
He suggested the need for a representation of the chiefs and people of the region on the commission.
Mr Ghartey said when the commission is established, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation should become a national oil company.
Awulae Attibrukusu 111, President of the House, expressed concern that indigenes of the region are not employed in the oil and gas industry.
Source: GNA