GHANA�S OIL has come under severe threat as La Cote d�Ivoire has renewed its claim over parts of the oil reserves in the deep waters of the Western Region.
The French-speaking country, a couple of months ago, declared that it owned part of Ghana�s oil reserves.
The country followed it up with calls for the re-demarcation of the reserves. This could lead to an oil dispute between the two countries if steps are not taken to redefine the boundaries between them.
It can also scuttle Ghana�s plan to develop a gas processing plant to produce gas to support energy production in the country.
Recent media reports indicated that some oil companies operating in Ghana had been asked by Ivorian authorities to stop operating after a meeting between the two parties.
The reports further stressed that the Jubilee partners, including Tullow Oil and Kosmos Energy, had raised red flags regarding the boundary problem. While Kosmos fears it may lose some of its licence if changes are made to the maritime boundary demarcation between Ghana and Ivory Coast, Tullow believes its concession could reduce.
Attempts by DAILY GUIDE to reach the Corporate Affairs Departments of Tullow Oil and Kosmos Energy for comments have not been successful.
Frantic efforts to reach the Minister of Energy, Dr. Joe Oteng Adjei, to comment on the issue also proved futile. In the new development, La Cote d�Ivoire is said to be laying claim to much of Tullow Oil�s concession � Tweneboa, Enyenra and Owo discoveries, among others, plus the West Tano-1X find and several other prospects.
Furthermore, the French-speaking neighbor plans to develop its own gas processing infrastructure, ostensibly duplicating proposals advanced by Ghana.
Reports also indicated that officials of state-run Ivorian oil giant, Petroci, unveiled a controversial map last week that re-drew the maritime border between the two nations, which had been in long-running talks over the disputed area. Presently, Ghana produces about 85,000 barrels of oil per day, far short of the 120,000 target.
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