Top 10 MENA Region mega projects

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After the success of the Top 10 Gulf mega projects we published back in early May ArabianOil&Gas thought we would publish an updated list of 10 brand new projects.

The new list is full of exciting ventures, some of which have been on the drawing board since Leo Sayer, flared trousers and bubble perms were all the rage.

Also, with the new list we have tried hard to include ventures where there is still an opportunity to get involved and maybe even make a successful bid for a contract. We have also spread the area out fro the Gulf to the whole MENA region this time.

The list is rated by value and the information has been sourced from numerous channels including ArabainOilandGas.com, Reuters, MEED, Times Online, Bloomberg and AFP. 

1. Trans Sahara Pipeline
2. Al-Shaheen Refinery
3. Nabucco Pipeline
4. Yanbu Export Refinery
5. Khalifa Point & Fujairah Refineries
6. Jubail Export Refinery
7. Integrated Gas Development
8. Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline
9. Kuwait Oil Co drilling platforms
10. Oman oilfield services contract

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The Trans Sahara Pipeline (Algeria, Nigeria, Niger)

Client: Sonatrach (Algeria) Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Niger
Scope: 4,000 kilometre gas pipeline running from Nigeria to Algeria via Niger.
Status: Agreement signed.
Completion date: 2015
Estimated cost: Varies between $13 billion & $20 billion.
Known contractors: None as yet although interested parties in the venture include Gazprom (Russia), Royal Dutch Shell (Netherlands), Total (France), Eni (Italy)

The Trans Sahara Pipeline must rank as one of the most drawn out projects in oil and gas history. However, deciding to spend many billions of dollars on a pipeline running through Africa is not a decision one takes lightly. Over 30 years is still a long time mind you.

First mooted in the 1970s, the three countries involved in its construction — Algeria, Nigeria and Niger – finally put pen to paper on an agreement last month.

The project will transfer 30 billion cubic metres a year of Nigeria’s vast gas reserves to Algeria, via Niger, where it will join Algeria’s existing network before being pumped into Southern Europe.

The plan is still in its early stages with the three countries behind the pipeline still looking for potential commercial partners in the deal.

Russia’s Gazprom, Total of France, ENI of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell have all expressed an interest in becoming involved in the project.

Gazprom has already committed to building a stretch of pipeline in Nigeria that would become the first sector of the Trans Sahara. The Russian energy giant will spend $2.5 billion on gas projects in the African stare.

The irony of Gazprom’s involvement has not gone unnoticed by industry experts, many of whom believe the principal reason the scheme got off the ground in the first place is because of Europe’s reluctance to become over reliant on Russian gas.