“Africa has abundant gas reserves, and these rich reserves offer immediate solutions to the continent’s immediate and prevailing challenges if well leveraged.”
The Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Energy Plc, Mr. Roger Brown, said this at the Africa Oil Week (AOW) Conference and Exhibition in Cape Town, South Africa.
While delivering the independent Keynote during the AOW Gas Forum with the theme, “Enhancing Africa’s Gas Capacity” Roger stated that gas would provide baseload power to facilitate growth in renewable energy which is still a relatively small proportion of the energy mix in Africa.
To decarbonize, he maintained that the world would need to move away from coal as a primary source of electricity. “Gas will play a critical role in moving away from reliance on coal and oil for electricity,” he said.
He added: “Messages are mixed, but it is vital that providers of capital see gas as an essential fuel source for Africa. Africa’s abundant gas reserves offer immediate solutions to immediate problems. There is therefore significant gas to deliver widespread electrification in Africa increasing the per capita electricity consumption.
“Africa’s development will require significant improvements in access to energy. Lower-cost, more reliable energy will drive job creation, prosperity and development. Gas can support achievement of many United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its role in reducing costs, increasing energy access and increasing prosperity.”
According to Brown, the use of bottled gas could be a veritable tool to averting nearly half a million deaths consequent upon the application of biomass as a cooking method. Again it is strong cover against deforestation, according to him. “Natural gas is a cheap and immediate input for fertilizers needed to support large-scale agriculture. Gas is essential for basic infrastructure, as no commercially viable, low-carbon alternatives are anywhere near ready for cement, steel and glass production.”
Brown who also spoke at a panel session during the conference with the title, “Gas-to-Power: Unlocking Africa’s Potential”, noted that Seplat Energy sees gas as integral to Africa’s gas-to-power system, and can provide uninterrupted power, this is while providing overnight baseload to support renewables.
“Gas is actually decarbonising Africa’s energy system, when compared to the millions of domestic and business generators in use today. It produces half the CO2 emissions of diesel and burns more cleanly without particulates,” he said.
Using the Seplat Energy ANOH Gas Plant as an example, Brown said the plant upon operational, will support more than 1GW of grid-scale generation, displacing many small-scale generators. Adding that the impacts would be enormous, as it will lower costs, improve the economy of scale for businesses and households, reduce foreign exchange and wastes through fuel and generators importations. It will also drive higher efficiency as well as reduce emissions, and this while ensuring that existing grid channels were not left idle for lack of gas.
He further noted that Seplat energy has already started investing in its midstream gas business to deliver more gas and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to the market, whilst capturing more of the essential transition fuel and driving down carbon intensity.
“We have made good progress with our capital investment projects portfolio which includes end of routine flaring, ANOH, Sapele Integrated Gas Plant, which will process natural gas and LPG for delivery into the domestic market. We are working on several investment opportunities in the new energy sector with focus on developing gas-to power and renewable energy businesses,” he added.