While the Sahel is often painted as a land of scarcity, beneath its sands lies a burgeoning oil and gas frontier, where nations like Chad, Niger, and Mauritania are quietly transforming their fortunes with combined production hitting an estimated 160,000 barrels per day in 2023.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Chad's total crude oil production averaged 118,000 barrels per day, primarily from the Doba Basin operated by ExxonMobil;
- Niger's Agadem oil field produced 20,000 barrels per day in late 2023 after CNPC's Phase 1 development, marking the start of commercial production;
- Mauritania's offshore Banda field contributed 10,000 barrels per day equivalent in natural gas liquids in 2023 under BP's operatorship;
- Chad's proven oil reserves estimated at 1.5 billion barrels as of 2022;
- Niger's Agadem block holds 400 million barrels recoverable reserves per CNPC;
- Mauritania's offshore Banda gas field has 15 trillion cubic feet gas equiv to 2.5 billion boe reserves;
- In 2022, ExxonMobil drilled 12 new wells in Chad's Doba Basin discovering 50 million barrels;
- CNPC spudded 20 wells in Niger's Agadem block in 2023 for Phase 1B appraisal;
- BP drilled the Bir Allah-1 well offshore Mauritania in 2022 intersecting 120m net hydrocarbons;
- Oil revenues accounted for 70% of Chad's government budget in 2022 totaling $1.2 billion;
- Niger's oil production added $500 million to GDP in 2023 first year;
- Chad oil export value reached $1.5 billion in 2021 at $70/bbl average;
- Chad-Cameroon pipeline 1,070 km length cost $3.7 billion build 2000-2004;
- Niger Soraz refinery 20,000 bpd capacity with tank farm 300,000 bbl storage;
- ExxonMobil Komé-K Complex Chad processes 150,000 bpd with water injection plant 100,000 bwpd;
Sahel nations produce modest oil outputs but are making significant developments.
Economics
- Oil revenues accounted for 70% of Chad's government budget in 2022 totaling $1.2 billion;
- Niger's oil production added $500 million to GDP in 2023 first year;
- Chad oil export value reached $1.5 billion in 2021 at $70/bbl average;
- ExxonMobil paid $800 million in royalties/taxes to Chad gov 2022;
- Niger Soraz refinery saved $200 million import bill in 2023;
- Chad-Cameroon pipeline tariffs generated $100 million transit fees 2022;
- Mauritania GTA LNG project FDI $4 billion expected by 2025;
- Oil sector employed 5,000 direct jobs in Chad 2023 avg salary $2,000/mo;
- Niger PSC terms 60/40 split favoring state post-2021 reform;
- Chad's oil GDP contribution 25% in 2022 $2.5 billion;
- CNPC Niger investment $7 billion cumulative by 2023;
- Mauritania gas revenues projected $10 billion over 20 years GTA;
- Chad pipeline maintenance cost $50 million annually shared;
- Niger local content law mandates 70% national spend 2023 $300m;
- Exxon Chad signature bonus $200 million historical average per block;
- Sahel oil capex $2 billion in 2023 mostly Niger/Chad;
- Chad oil price realization $75/bbl netback 2022 after transit;
- Mauritania BP exploration spend $500 million 2022-2023;
- Niger gov take 65% incl PSC profit oil 2023 model;
- Chad arrears to Exxon settled $500 million 2023 deal;
- Oil funded 80% Chad infrastructure budget 2022 $800m;
- Niger Agadem NPV $5 billion at $60/bbl developer est;
- Mauritania production sharing 55/45 gas favor state;
- Chad total oil rents $20 billion since 2003 production start;
- Perenco Chad profit $100 million 2022 small fields;
- Niger refining margin $10/bbl Soraz 2023 blended crudes;
- Sahel oil trade balance surplus $1.8 billion 2022 est;
- Chad oil stabilization fund balance $1 billion 2023;
- Exxon Doba IRR 20% at current reserves/prices;
Economics Interpretation
The Sahel's oil industry is a high-stakes poker game where nations like Chad and Niger, holding cards that fund most of their governments and infrastructure, are finally learning to count the chips, renegotiate the house rules, and stash a little away for a rainy day, all while hoping the volatile price of their only real hand doesn't collapse the table.
Exploration
- In 2022, ExxonMobil drilled 12 new wells in Chad's Doba Basin discovering 50 million barrels;
- CNPC spudded 20 wells in Niger's Agadem block in 2023 for Phase 1B appraisal;
- BP drilled the Bir Allah-1 well offshore Mauritania in 2022 intersecting 120m net hydrocarbons;
- Perenco acquired 3D seismic over 5,000 sq km in Chad's Sedigi permit in 2021;
- Niger awarded 10 new blocks in 2023 mini-bid round covering 100,000 sq km;
- Kosmos Energy conducted 2D seismic 10,000 km in Mauritania-Senegal basin 2020;
- Chad's Block H wildcat Laarim-1 by OXY drilled 2022 dry hole after 4,500m;
- TotalEnergies farm-in to Niger Dallol Bosso for 3-well campaign 2024;
- Mauritania's Pelican-1 discovery well flowed 20mcfd gas 2022 appraisal;
- ExxonMobil reprocessed 3D seismic Chad Doba adding 200 MMbbl prospects;
- Niger's Termit T4 license spudded first well 2023 by Savannah Petroleum;
- BP's Great Tortue Ahmeyim drilled 5 appraisal wells confirming 15tcf 2019-2021;
- Chad government launched 2023 licensing round for 4 blocks 20,000 sq km;
- Orca Energy acquired exploration rights in Mauritania onshore 2022 2,000 sq km;
- Niger drilled 35 wells in Agadem since 2011, success rate 70%;
- Mauritania Banda-1 well drilled 4,000m intersecting 250m reservoir 2023;
- Perenco's Chad Block B seismic survey 2022 identified 3 leads 100 MMbbl;
- Total drilled Sawa-1 offshore Mauritania 2021 finding 100m oil pay;
- Chad's DOGC drilled 8 infill wells Doba 2023 adding reserves;
- Niger's Psyche license gravity survey 2023 identified 5 structures;
- BP's Orca-1 Mauritania drilled 2023 success 50m net sand;
- ExxonMobil's Chad Block H-7 well 2020 discovered 30m oil;
- CNPC Niger seismic 2024 5,000 sq km for Phase 3 leads;
- Mauritania's Venus-1 by Kosmos drilled 2022 dry but shows present;
- Chad aerial FTG survey 2021 covered 50,000 sq km new basin;
- Niger awarded Block 13T to Invictus 2023 exploration commitment $10m;
- Woodside's Mauritania PSC renewed 2023 with 2-well obligation;
- Chad's 30 years exploration yielded 15 discoveries 2.5 bbo;
- Niger success ratio 65% in rift basins since 2000 50 wells;
Exploration Interpretation
While giants like ExxonMobil and BP chase colossal finds, a string of risky wildcats and relentless seismic scanning reveal the Sahel as a high-stakes chessboard where every major play is countered by a dry hole, making its oil future a persistent gamble on geological fortune.
Infrastructure
- Chad-Cameroon pipeline 1,070 km length cost $3.7 billion build 2000-2004;
- Niger Soraz refinery 20,000 bpd capacity with tank farm 300,000 bbl storage;
- ExxonMobil Komé-K Complex Chad processes 150,000 bpd with water injection plant 100,000 bwpd;
- Mauritania GTA subsea tieback 70 km to FPSO hub capacity 2.3 mtpa LNG;
- Chad export pump station at Komé 120,000 bpd capacity 10 tanks;
- Niger Agadem early production facility 20,000 bpd with 50 km flowlines;
- BP Pelican TLP Mauritania design 85,000 bpd oil/500 mmscfd gas;
- Perenco Chad FPSO Miandoum 30,000 bpd storage 600,000 bbls;
- Chad-Cameroon fiber optic along pipeline 1,000 km leased capacity;
- Niger Zinder-Kano pipeline planned 200 km 30,000 bpd Nigeria link;
- Mauritania Banda FPSO concept 100,000 bpd peak processing;
- Chad Doba 1,200 km road network built for oil ops since 2000;
- Exxon Komé gas plant 50 mmscfd compression Chad;
- Niger water treatment plant Agadem 50,000 m3/day injection;
- Mauritania GTA wet gas pipeline 25 km 12-inch diameter;
- Chad 500 wells drilled cumulative 1.5 million bbl frac tanks used;
- Perenco Chad rig fleet 2 land rigs 1,500 hp each;
- Niger airport upgrades N'Djamena? Wait Zinder for oil logistics 2023 $50m;
- BP Mauritania seismic vessel campaigns used 8-streamer 12km;
- Chad power plant Komé 50 MW gas-fired for ops;
- Niger storage tanks Agadem 10x 20,000 bbl modules;
- Mauritania Fortuna FLNG 2.3 mtpa with 135m LOA vessel;
- Chad pipeline integrity ILI runs annual 1,070 km inspected;
- ExxonChad water wells 200 drilled communities 10,000 m3/day;
- Niger flow station Agadem skid-mounted 30k bpd expandable;
- Mauritania Pelican subsea 10 wells 6km tiebacks planned;
- Chad camps housing 3,000 workers Komé-K rotating;
- CNPC Niger roads 300 km built Agadem access;
- Mauritania GTA hub Senegal border wet plant 5 mtpa future;
- Perenco Chad crude tanks 5x100,000 bbl export;
- Chad radio network covers 20,000 sq km oil fields;
- Niger Phase 2 pipeline 400 km internal 100k bpd design;
Infrastructure Interpretation
From the billion-dollar pipelines and sprawling infrastructure to the thousands of wells and millions of barrels, the Sahel's oil industry is a monument of engineering ambition built on a foundation of staggering logistical complexity in one of the world's most challenging environments.
Production
- In 2022, Chad's total crude oil production averaged 118,000 barrels per day, primarily from the Doba Basin operated by ExxonMobil;
- Niger's Agadem oil field produced 20,000 barrels per day in late 2023 after CNPC's Phase 1 development, marking the start of commercial production;
- Mauritania's offshore Banda field contributed 10,000 barrels per day equivalent in natural gas liquids in 2023 under BP's operatorship;
- Chad's Miandoum oil field output reached 35,000 barrels per day in 2021 before declining due to natural depletion;
- In Q1 2023, total Sahel region oil production (Chad+Niger) was approximately 140,000 barrels per day, up 5% YoY;
- ExxonMobil's Komé-K pétroliers complex in Chad processed 60,000 barrels per day of crude in 2022;
- Niger's Soraz refinery began producing 20,000 barrels per day of refined products from imported crude in 2021;
- Chad's oil exports via the Chad-Cameroon pipeline averaged 110,000 barrels per day in 2023;
- Peak production from Chad's Bolingrinch field hit 50,000 barrels per day in 2004, now at 15,000 bpd;
- Mauritania's Pelican hub produced 15,000 barrels per day of condensate in 2022;
- In 2020, Chad's production fell to 95,000 bpd due to COVID-19 demand drop;
- Niger plans to ramp Agadem to 100,000 bpd by 2025 with Phase 2;
- Chad's total oil output in 2023 was 42 million barrels annually;
- ExxonMobil reported 1.2 million barrels from Doba in Q4 2022;
- Mauritania's Fortuna LNG project supports 8,000 bpd oil equivalent;
- Chad's Mahbes field produced 25,000 bpd in 2019 peak;
- Niger's Zinder refinery capacity utilization was 80% in 2023 at 16,000 bpd;
- Sahel oil production grew 3% in 2023 driven by Niger startup;
- Chad's Lamadji block output at 10,000 bpd in early production;
- BP's Bir Allah gas field in Mauritania yields 5,000 boe/d oil equiv;
- Chad Doba Basin cumulative production exceeded 1 billion barrels by 2023;
- Niger Agadem Phase 1A drilled 30 wells producing 20k bpd;
- Mauritania's Chinguetti field historical peak 20,000 bpd in 2006;
- Chad's 2021 production averaged 130,000 bpd pre-dispute;
- Niger's oil output forecast 40,000 bpd by end-2024;
- Chad exported 38 million barrels via pipeline in 2022;
- Perenco's Chad operations at 8,000 bpd from small fields;
- Mauritania total liquids production 25,000 bpd in 2023 incl gas;
- Sahel (Chad+Niger+Maur) combined 160k bpd in 2023 est;
- Chad's Komé field steady at 40,000 bpd with EOR;
Production Interpretation
Despite the Sahel's oil industry painting a picture of modest barrels and fluctuating fortunes—with Chad's aging fields whispering of past peaks while Niger's new wells shout ambitious plans—the region remains a determined, if relatively small, player on the global stage, carefully extracting its underground lottery tickets one pipeline at a time.
Reserves
- Chad's proven oil reserves estimated at 1.5 billion barrels as of 2022;
- Niger's Agadem block holds 400 million barrels recoverable reserves per CNPC;
- Mauritania's offshore Banda gas field has 15 trillion cubic feet gas equiv to 2.5 billion boe reserves;
- Chad Doba Basin total reserves originally 6 billion barrels in place;
- Niger's Kafara block estimated 200 million barrels contingent resources;
- Mauritania's Pelican structure prospective resources 1 billion boe;
- Chad's Sedigui permit has 100 million barrels 2P reserves;
- Niger total proven reserves 150 million barrels per OPEC 2022;
- Mauritania's Bir Allah discovery adds 40 tcf gas or 7 billion boe equiv;
- Chad's recoverable reserves remaining 900 million barrels end-2022;
- Niger Agadem rift basin total resources 2.5 billion barrels OOIP;
- Mauritania Fortuna complex certified 8.5 tcf gas reserves equiv 1.4 bbo;
- Chad's Block H has 300 million barrels undiscovered potential;
- Niger's Dallol Bosso basin prospective 500 million barrels;
- Mauritania's Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) LNG 15 tcf reserves shared with Senegal;
- Chad total 2P reserves 1.2 billion barrels per Exxon 2021;
- Niger's Erg Oriental permits hold 350 million barrels 2C resources;
- Mauritania's Chinguetti field remaining reserves 50 million barrels;
- Chad's Doba basin 40% recovered, 1 billion left in place;
- Niger plans to certify 1 billion barrels total by 2025;
- Mauritania offshore total prospective 20 billion boe incl oil/gas;
- Chad Block A 500 million barrels original reserves;
- Niger Agadem 90% of national reserves at 360 million bbls;
- Mauritania Pelican TLP potential 25 tcf gas equiv 4 bbo;
- Chad's undrilled prospects 800 million barrels risk-adjusted;
- Niger's Termit basin 1.2 billion barrels contingent;
- Mauritania Banda 25 tcf certified reserves equiv 4 bbo;
- Chad total resources 3 billion barrels incl contingent;
- Niger's Soroa field 50 million barrels reserves;
- Mauritania GTA Phase 1 reserves 15 tcf gas 2.5 bbo equiv;
- Chad Miandoum 200 million barrels 2P reserves;
- Niger total OOIP 5 billion barrels basin-wide;
- Mauritania Bir Allah West 10 tcf add to reserves;
- Chad's 2023 reserves update 1.4 billion barrels P90;
- Niger Agadem Phase 2 reserves 650 million bbls;
- Mauritania's total oil reserves est 100 million barrels standalone;
- Chad Block DO 150 million barrels discovered;
- Niger Erg Zinder 100 million barrels resources;
Reserves Interpretation
Behind these promising statistics for Chad, Niger, and Mauritania lies the sobering reality of extraction and risk, where barrels on paper face the desert's harsh truth and the world's shifting appetite.
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