CHAD BEGINS WORK ON ENERGY SCHEME AFTER 44 YEARS PLANNING

Chad have officially begun work on two energy projects which it had planned for, 44 years ago. 

The Republic of Chad has began work on two(2) energy projects it believes would boost the country’s economy. The foundation of the twin plants was laid on 28th Oct 2017 by the country’s president Idriss Déby.

The two schemes which are to be built in the northwestern Kanem region, are Sedigui oil refinery and the Rig-Rig gas treatment plant and they are about 300km from  N’Djamena, the country’s capital.

The president during the opening ceremony stated that the Sedigui project had been planned since 1973, but was unable to commence due to the country’s unstable political state which also in turn have affected the economy.

Chad’s GDP increased from $220m in 2002 to $1bn in 2014 after the successful exploitation of oilfields in Kanem and the Doba basin and also the construction of a US$4bn pipeline to terminals on the Atlantic coast. However, since oil prices dropped  its GDP have slumped to US$660m.

The construction of the two plants accounts for more than 10% of the country’s income as the construction of the Sedigui oil refinery is valued at US$120m while  the Rig-Rig gas treatment plant costs US$58m.

Chad will own 40% of Sedigui and 30% of Rig-Rig, with the remainder split between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Chinese National Petroleum Company (CNPC).

The construction work for both projects is scheduled to last 12 months.

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