Government officials from six emerging oil and gas producers in Africa gathered recently in Senegal to examine tangible actions they could undertake, as to minimise greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector.
The week-long workshop, titled Oil and Gas Emissions Visibility and Reductions, was delivered by the Commonwealth Secretariat, in collaboration with the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), Natural Resources Governance Institute (NRGI), Norwegian Petroleum Directorate and other industry experts.
More than 50 delegates from Ghana, Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania, Mauritania, and Senegal – countries with significant petroleum discoveries – took part in the training. Each country’s delegation included representatives from various petroleum, environment and climate institutions.
The aim was to enable these governments to understand the sources of emissions in their respective energy sectors, identify areas where emissions could be reduced and explore regulatory tools as well as specific strategies for energy companies to cut emissions through net-zero flaring, venting and menthane operations.
The workshop also offered a valuable platform for frank discussions and peer-to-peer exchanges, allowing countries to share insights and strategies, and learn from each other’s experiences.
Combatting climate change
Minimising greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector is crucial for combatting climate change, especially as the majority can be avoided by addressing flaring, venting, leaks and the use of renewable energy in operations.
For many countries with abundant oil and gas resources, particularly in Africa, reducing methane emissions can also support Sustainable Development Goal 7 – universal access to modern and reliable energy.
To support countries in decarbonising the sector, the Commonwealth Secretariat has developed model guidelines to help governments manage energy projects, by requiring GHG management plans as part of the project approval process.
This document, Model Template for National Field Development Plan Submission Guidelines, can also be used as a mechanism to implement Net Zero Sector strategies.
Naadira Ogeer, Economic Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat and project lead for the New Producers Group, said:
“If oil and gas projects were designed from the beginning with emissions management as a key criterion, it would drastically change the emission footprint from these assets.
“This is a unique opportunity for emerging producers, even with little or no infrastructure, they could become the gold standard for emissions management. This is no easy feat and will require policy coherence and considerable technical assistance to achieve.”
Constructive feedback
The training garnered high interest and constructive feedback from participants. One of those attending, Dr Riverson Oppong, the Commercial Operations Manager at the Ghana National Gas Company, commented:
“The workshop created the awareness of the importance of a proper, holistic approach to methane emission reduction and measurement. We learnt several tools from experts in various fields on how to measure and report emissions transparently.
“Now Ghana plans to engage more with the upstream operators on how to first of all measure, and more importantly report accurate figures, allowing Ghana to build a more accurate picture of its methane emissions.”
It is intended that the policy ambitions and work plans drafted during the training will be advanced by respective government delegations, who may also be given further support in implementation.
The workshop was an initiative of the New Producers Group (NPG), a collaborative network jointly created by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Natural Resource Governance Institute and Chatham House. It supports 26 countries, including 15 Commonwealth countries, in the sustainable management of petroleum resources including navigating the energy transition.
