Childers criticises Tullow oils plans to flare natural gas in Uganda

Posted by Bronwen Maher on February 18, 2010 at 02:00 PM

Tullow Oil’s oil production-sharing agreement with the Ugandan government could have severe environmental consequences for Sub-Saharan Africa, Labour MEP Nessa Childers has asserted.
 
The Ireland East MEP said, “I am concerned at reports revealed today in a report published by a UK-based NGO which indicates that Tullow’s oil production contract with the Uganadan government will permit practically open-ended consent for the company to engage in the ‘flaring’ of natural gas which is not used in petroleum operations.
 
“According to the World Bank, some 150 billion cubic metres of natural gas is being flared and vented globally on an annual basis. That is equivalent to 30% of the European Union’s gas consumption. And the annual 35 billion cubic metres of gas flared in Sub-Saharan Africa alone could generate half of that continent’s power consumption. Flaring gas has a massive global impact on climate change, adding about 400 million tons of CO2 in annual emissions.
“Uganda is moving towards oil production this year or next and Tullow, a company with its roots in Ireland has played a major role in the development of the embryonic Ugandan oil industry. The contract allows for an extremely worrying degree of flaring which will have environmental consequences for the region.
 
“It is recognised internationally that flaring becomes a major issue where regulatory frameworks are weak. The very fact that there is a weak or practically absent oil production regulatory regime in much of this part of Africa should not give big oil companies carte blanche to take measures that will impact on the African and indeed the global climate situation.
 
“Tullow is a respected international company. I accept too that the company has made a clear commitment to good international and industry practice in the region. However, these are easy commitments to make when one sees that there are few if any national standards governing this area of activity, as is the case in Uganda. I would urge Tullow and Uganda to sign up to the World Banks Global Gas Flaring Reduction partnership and work responsibly together and with the international community to reduce gas flaring in Africa.”

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