天然气新发现为西非创造了发展机遇

在过去的一年里，包括英国石油公司、Kosmos能源公司和斯普林菲尔德公司在内的一系列勘探公司的新发现，正在把西非部分地区变成一片充满机遇的新土地。西非地区包括从北部的毛里塔尼亚到南部的尼日利亚的沿海国家。该地区各国政府预计，这些新发现带来的收入将有助于为它们雄心勃勃的经济发展提供资金。

预计许多发现的天然气将有助于取代石油，成为该地区更可持续的燃料来源。例如，在塞内加尔新发现的近海天然气可以满足该国发电厂对国内天然气的燃料需求。此外，这样的沿海天然气发电项目可以将电力卖给该地区内陆邻国的市场。但业内专家预计，这些发现的主要市场将面向欧洲液化天然气客户。

赵斌 摘译自 钻井网

原文如下：

New Gas Finds Creating Opportunity in West Africa

In the past year a whole series of new finds by exploration companies including BP, Kosmos Energy and Springfield are turning parts of West Africa into a new land of opportunity. The West African region includes the coastal states from Mauritania in the north to Nigeria in the south. The region’s governments expect the revenues generated from these recent discoveries will help fund their economic development ambitions.

It is expected that many of the gas discoveries will help displace oil as a source of more sustainable fuel in the regional mix. For instance, the new offshore gas discoveries in Senegal could meet the fuel needs of domestic gas to power plants in the country. In addition, such coastal gas power projects could sell power to markets in neighboring countries, in the region’s interior. But, industry experts expect the main market for these finds is destined for European LNG customers.