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Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh on Tuesday opened the Petroleum Commission’s 2022 Local Content Conference and Exhibition in Takoradi, calling for enhanced exploration and production activities in the context of energy transition.

Addressing captains of industry and stakeholders, Dr. Prempeh used the opportunity to re-emphasize his commitment to local content and local participation which, according to him, is the vehicle through which the country could create value in the exploitation of the hydrocarbon resource.

The Minister said in spite of the fact that the energy transition concerns keep growing by the day, with calls for reduction in the production and consumption of fossil fuels, the rate of growth of alternative energy sources are not keeping up with pace to replace fossils fuel in the global energy mix.

This he says clearly shows that fossil fuels will continue to be part of global energy mix in the foreseeable future.

“This has led to the recognition that oil and natural gas play critical roles in today’s energy and economic systems, and that, affordable and reliable supplies of liquids and gases (of different types) are necessary parts of a vision of the future. This could be possible if the oil and gas industry takes the necessary steps to deploy the requisite technologies in their E&P activities to minimise the adverse impacts of their operations on the climate. As such, it opens a way – which some companies are already following – for the oil and gas industry to engage with the “grand coalition” that we in Ghana considers essential to tackle climate change”, he said.

The Manhyia South lawmaker further said the sustainability of local content development in Ghana’s upstream oil and gas sector depends on a healthy pipeline of E&P projects and activities underpinned by its highly prospective sedimentary basin and attractive fiscal regime.

Within the last five (5) years, six significant discoveries have been made offshore Ghana, of which five (5) are pending appraisal and development.

“With a healthy pipeline of oil and gas discoveries awaiting development, Ghana’s crude oil production is forecast to reach about 400,000 barrels per day and 600 MMscf of natural gas export per day by 2028. This growth in oil and gas production is expected to be unlocked through the upside maturation of already discovered reserves and the development of new discoveries”, he noted.

Dr. Prempeh said the vision of government for the energy sector is to develop a modern, diversified, efficient and financially sustainable “Energy Economy” that will ensure that all Ghanaian homes and industries have access to an adequate, reliable, affordable and environmentally-sustainable supply of energy to meet their needs and to support the accelerated growth and development agenda we all envisage for the country.