Malaysian Oil Company Petronas Kicked Out?

[The Zack]

Malaysian Oil Company Petronas Leaving Western Somalia

Monday, 13 September 2010 12:34 Oga'den Online

 

The Malaysian petroleum company, Petronas, which is prospecting for oil resources in the Oga’den basin, in south-eastern Ethiopia, is to lay off its employees working in the company’s Ethiopian office, it was learnt. Some of its employees told The Reporter that the company has already started laying of some off the employees working in the logistics and radio communications department. The employees said that they were informed of the management’s decision to lay off most of the employees two months ago. There are about 40 Ethiopians working full time for the company. As Petronas outsources most of the services like transport, payroll management, cooking, security and other services, it does not hire many employees.

 

The company also subcontracts companies, which undertake drilling and seismic studies. Petronas has drilled two wells in the Oga’den basin. The first one is in the Genale block that turned out dry. The second one is near the Hilala gas field in block 15. The testing result of the well (Hilala 5) is not yet known. However, after drilling the second well last September, the company has been hauling all its equipment and machineries out of Oga’den.

 

Petronas has hired Adika Tour and Travels to manage the transportation of machineries and equipment from the Oga’den to Djibouti and Addis Ababa. Reliable sources told The Reporter that the Malaysian professionals who left for Malaysia did not return to Ethiopia, adding that Petronas is sending its vehicles and machineries that it had imported duty free back to Malaysia.

 

Petronas has been exploring the Oga’den basin since 2006. The company acquired an exploration area covering 93,000 sq.km. The company collected numerous seismic data in the Oga’den. “They did a remarkable job,” says an industry analyst. “They drilled two wells, though the result of the second one is yet to be determined,” the analyst said.

 

Petronas acquired the Gambela concession in 2003. The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) granted 16,000 sq.km of land in the Gambela sedimentary basin near the Sudanese border. The company drilled two exploration wells in Jigaw and Jacaranda locality and both turned out dry. The company relinquished the Gambela concession in 2009. In 2007, Petronas also signed an agreement with MME to develop the Calub and Hilala gas fields.

 

The employees working in the company’s Ethiopian office fear that the company was pulling out of Ethiopia by abandoning all the exploration projects. The Minster of MME, Alemayehu Tegenu, said that that was not the case. Alemayehu said the company wanted to evaluate the results of the drillings.

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Og'aden Online

[Thierry Henry]

This was reported a while back that they were going to leave for numerous reasons. It seems the Ethiopian government has no real control over the Somali region as they claim. They said they would export Oil/Gas by 2015, pipeline would be built, ONLF didn’t scare away Oil companies as media blockade remains.

 

This is not a win for the people of the Somali region but Somalia as a whole. A rich powerful Ethiopia doesn't have any good intentions for Somalis.

[The Zack]

Theirry,

 

Even after the fact many other oil companies left the Somali region because of the 2007 ONLF attacks, Petronas decided to keep talking about making deals with the Ethiopian regime. ONLF has repeatedly warned this company to stay away from this region before attacking them in Ellale, near Godey. The ONLF soldiers completely took over this company's base, killed all their guards. That is reason they are now announcing they are leaving the region.

 

I agree with you, this is a win for all Somalis. Wealthier and Stronger Ethiopia is against any Somali's interest.

[Kamaavi]

welcome back cowke