₦airaland Forum

Nigeria, Algeria and Niger on Friday signed an agreement to build a multi-billion dollar gas pipeline across the Sahara that could send up to 30 billion cubic metres a year of supplies to Europe.

The idea of piping gas thousands of kilometres across the Sahara was first dreamt up more than 30 years ago, but the project remained on the drawing board pending a concrete agreement between neighbouring states and a clear funding plan.

"This, no doubt, is a major milestone , in the commercialisation of the huge endowment of natural gas resources," Nigerian Petroleum Minister Rilwanu Lukman said at a ceremony in the capital Abuja.

The project, with capital costs estimated at $10 billion for the pipeline and $3 billion for gathering centres, would send West African gas via a 4,128 km (2,580 mile) pipeline from Nigeria via Niger and Algeria starting from 2015.

The European Union sees the Trans-Saharan project as a potential opportunity to diversify its energy sources.

"This will provide another platform for a sustainable and reliable energy supply to Europe, thus ensuring security of supply," Lukman said.

France's Total (TOTF.PA), Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) and Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM) have all expressed interest in helping Nigeria's state-run NNPC and Algeria's counterpart Sonatrach in the project.

Gazprom and NNPC agreed to invest at least $2.5 billion to explore and develop Africa's biggest oil and gas sector, including building the first part of the Trans-Sahara pipeline. [ID:nLO549518]

Some analysts see Russia's keen interest in Nigeria as an attempt to maintain its grip on Europe's natural gas supplies.

FOREIGN PARTNERS NEEDED ?

The three governments are expected to begin formal discussions with outside investors sometime next year.

But Algerian Energy Minister Chakib Khelil said the project may not need foreign help as the three countries already have the gas reserves, the money and the technology to build the pipeline on their own.

"We should be able to do it on our own," Khelil said. "We have the expertise and I don't think there is a problem with finance in this project."

Nigeria has estimated natural gas reserves of 180 trillion cubic feet, the seventh largest in the world. Its liquefied natural gas company Nigeria LNG says it already provides 10 percent of world supply, much of it to Europe and North America.

But it has not been able to develop its gas industry to anywhere near its full potential because of a lack of funds and of a clear regulatory environment.

The European Union, which already relies on Russia for a significant proportion of its oil and gas supplies, sees the Trans-Sahara project as one way to bolster energy security.

But sceptics point out the pipeline will run through some volatile areas. Nigeria's main militant group, responsible for attacks on the oil industry in the Niger Delta, has already threatened to sabotage the venture. [ID:nLS322135]

The pipeline would also pass through northern Niger, parts of which are controlled by nomadic Tuareg rebels, and southern Algeria, where Islamic militant groups have long had a presence. (Editing by Nick Tattersall, Editing by Peter Blackburn)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL345766620090703?sp=true

To me, I'll say JT shouldn't go.

But to him, it depends, if he want money or legendary status!

Hello House, Has anyone gotten the score of the Beach Soccer African Qualifiers Final Btw Nigeria and Cote D' Ivoire?

clomn:
FOOLS IDIOTS ROBBERS I FEEL LIKE STRANGLING SOMEONE!!!!!

lol hope we are save

@Topic: Hun gini? When table is set at home!
Useless people, what do they take us for?

Never hawked, though not from a wealthy family. I no e go better one day

It me, I'm her only boy, but she loves a last child too.

MrCrackles:
Awon Ashewo on the way back to Naija?

lol, no be lie!

Jarus:
In order not to distract the house, they went out and started the fighting proper. Reminds my secondary school days 

lol, you are correct Jarus.

RIP Michael

God help us!

tundewoods:


@ Poster, you have posted a question or better still a riddle that you will only be able to solve once you also learn to write and speak correct English Language.

LOL ! Your case seems like a pot calling a kettle black !

ROFLMAO

Nezan:
@ Poster: Notice that your post too has mistakes
Why is the(?) English ,,,,,,,,,
Is(?) the fault ,,,,,,,,,,
e.t.c.

Dont have much time with they books,,,,,

Hmmm!

I Robot
Prison Break
Van Helsing
Stomp the Yard
Goal

LWKMD

Na wa oooooooo

Boring game! Hope we'll step up

lalaboi:
hater,  . .see excuse

No mind them!

lalaboi:
hater, . .see excuse

No mind them!

Did anyone watch Tunisia matches?
They are bunch of morons, they were just lucky.
Give it to Naija 2-0

oyb:
half baked semi literate olodo reporting on  another half baked semi literate olodo  

Hahahahahahah

Two Olodos

DD brown:
You actually have to -10m for northen states and +10m for southern states. The North have being counting Malus as human for decades.

LWKMD

henhen na wa o, so, wetin dem go name am this time

spikedcylinder:
Chai, Marwa's house is just 5 houses from here.
Make I go kill am?

Have you the guts? O to be

Antidisestablishmentarialism 

Longest English word (Non-coined, non-technical)

NBSM (No be small thing)  
You try

Afam:
Why would the tax payers in the US use their money to fund this type of school when there is no clear benefit to the US?

I'm sure they are/will benefit from it, like you mention about the crude-oil stuff and even other things.

Na wa oooooooo, na so we go dey?

JosBoy4Lif:
^^ interesting question you pose. Are you the shooter?

[quote author=Sunny_bobo link=topic=281409.msg3996288#msg3996288 date=1244485243]Can all these stop a bullet? [/quote]LMAO

texazzpete:
Further proof that this guy is a lying scumbag

1. Joseph kabila never went to fort Benning. In fact, he received his millitary education from a Chinese millitary school, the PLA National Defense University in Beijing. At the time of his father's death, he was the Army Chief of Staff of the Congolese army.
The professor's story of the guy being in the University before being plucked out of obscurity by Collin Powell are patently false.

2. Paul kagame received millitary training in Ft Leavenworth, not Ft. Benning as the lying professor would have you believe. An easy google search (as well as Wikipedia) will easily reveal this.


When you add these lies to the fairy tale of soldiers duking it out with lions and crocodiles. . .you'd have to be a really crazy person to place any weight on this guy's story.

You're correct bro, I just checked.

nethacker:
That thing up there by the poster is true, believe it or not, u can read it urself on www.9jabook.com, things don happen and r still happening

And if I read it from www.9jabook.com, isn't it someone that post it there?

Donno what to say, and I can't believe that the whole story is truth.
BTW, why would this man reveal such things when some of those involved are still alive?

Na wa ooooooo, she Dubai na Heaven and hell now?
Abeg if una see Muritala Mohammed and Idiagbon make una tell dem say I hail oooooooo 

MrCrackles:
Crizzle

Now that the game is over, will you please come and sort out my dinner?

You don start again!

3-0 Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllll


Yes Yes Yes

Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllll

2-0

Penaltyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy