DeepintheinteriorofCentralAfricaliestheRepublicofChad,acountrydependentonagricultureformostofitsrevenue.Belowthesurface,ithasabundantreservesofpetroleum,butitwasnotuntiltheChineseoilandgasgiantChinaNationalPetroleumCorp.(CNPC)beganproductiontherein2011thatthecountryfinallyrealizedenergyself-sufficiency.
WhenCNPCfirstsetfootinChad15yearsago,domesticoilconsumptioninthecountrywasheavilydependentonimports.InSeptember2007,abilateralagreementwasreachedtobuildajoint-stockrefineryplant,markingthestartingpointofChinaChadpetroleumcooperation.
AstheNdjamenarefineryplantwentintoproductioninJune2011,PresidentIdrissD茅byItnodescribedhowhiscountryhadwonthevictoryofenergyindependence,whichheattributedtoChad鈥檚significantpartnershipwithChina.
Now,theCNPCoperationcoverstheentirepetroleumindustrialchaininChad,rangingfromexplorationanddevelopment,pipelinetransportation,refiningandstorage,projectconstructionandtechnologyservices.
ThistypeofsuccessstoryisnotconfinedtoChad.CNPC鈥檚cooperationwithSudanbeganbackin1995,andthatprojecthasnowbecomethelargestandmostsuccessfulCNPCoverseasventure.InNiger,acompletepetroleumindustrialsystemhastakenshapeunderapartnershipwithCNPC,allowingthecountrytonotonlyrealizeoilself-sufficiency,butalsoearnforeignexchangethroughoilexports.Now,thepetroleumindustryisthebackboneofthelocaleconomy.BesidesChadandNiger,theCNPCWestAfricanbranchhasalsoseenitsoperationsspreadintoAlgeria,MozambiqueandTunisia.
Solidprogress
WithsupportfromaChadianpartneranditsstakeholders,CNPChasdevelopedtwoexplorationandextractionprojects,twocrudeoilpipelineprojectsandtheNdjamenarefinerythatcanproducegasoline,diesel,aviationfuel,fueloil,liquefiednaturalgasandpolypropylene.
BytheendofJulythisyear,thecompanyhaddevelopedsixoilfieldsinChadandtransported13.24milliontonsofcrudeoil.Itsannualoilproductionhasmaintainedsteadygrowthinrecentyearsandisexpectedtoreach4milliontonsthisyear.Companydatashowthatinthenearfuture,petroleumexplorationanddevelopmentcapacityinChadwillreach6milliontons.
GoingfromriskexplorationtolargescaledevelopmentinChad,CNPCsaysitroutinelyfollowstheprincipleofseekingqualityandefficiencywhilemaintainingsustainabledevelopment.
鈥淐NPC鈥檚oilexplorationanddevelopmentactivitiesinAfricaareguidedbytheconceptsofmutualbenefitandwin-wincooperation.Thecompanystrictlyfollowslocalpolicies,lawsandregulations,andupholdsamultinationalcorporatecultureofmutualrespect,opennessandcompatibility,鈥漵aidChenShudong,GeneralManagerofCNPCInternational,WestAfricaLtd.(Chad).
ChadhasnowseenasteadydomesticsupplyofoilproductsfromtheNdjamenarefinery,andexportspartoftheoutputtoneighboringcountries,layingasolidfoundationforthenation鈥檚economyandstrength.
InNiger,CNPC鈥檚WestAfricabranchhadpaidover$1billionintaxestothegovernmentbytheendof2017.AsofMaythisyear,thecompanyhasproduced5.28milliontonsofcrudeoilinthecountry,accordingtoCNPCstatistics.
Corporateresponsibilities
InSudanandSouthSudan,CNPChasbeenfulfillingitssocialresponsibilitiesbyengaginginwell-plannedactivitiestoprovidepublicbenefits.Thecompanyhasinvested$120milliontosupportthedevelopmentofagriculture,education,culture,medicalcareandinfrastructure,benefitingmorethan2millionAfricanpeople.
Bypromotingtheintegrationofdiversecultureswithinthecompany,employeeswithdifferentculturalbackgroundscanunderstandandtrusteachotherandliveinharmonywithlocalcommunities,saidChen.
InthehinterlandofNigerintheSaharaDesert,theshortageofwaterisanobviousproblem.Toraisethelivingstandardsofresidentsinnearbycitiesandtowns,CNPChasdug29wellsandmorethan40watersourcesforusebylocalhouseholdsandanimalhusbandry.
ThesamearidconditionsarealsoachallengetoChad.BytheendofJuly,atotalof27wellshadbeendrilledbyCNPC,benefiting25,000residentsin21villages.
Inadditiontowaterscarcity,gainingaccesstoeducationinsomeAfricancountriesisstilldifficultformanychildren.TheCNPCNigerbranchsaysthatithasbuilt38schoolsinareasneighboringitsupstreamprojectsandoilpipelinesinthepastfewyears.InChad,twoprimaryschoolshavebeenbuiltandstudymaterialssponsoredatthreelocalschools.Ajointeducationprogramwithalocaluniversityneartherefineryplanthasbeenmaintainedforseveralyears,whilelocalstudentsandtechnicianshavebeensenttoChinatoreceivefurthertrainingandeducation.
SinceCNPCenteredtheChadianmarketin2003,thecompanyhassignedalargenumberofpurchasingandservicecontractswithlocalenterprises,substantiallyboostingChad鈥檚economicdevelopment.
ChadianPresidentIdrissD茅byItno(front,secondright)attendsthehandoverceremonyofthefirstphaseoftheRonieroilfieldprojectinChadin2011COURTESYPHOTOFOCACconnection
WiththeNdjamenarefinerycomingintoproduction,theretailpriceofrefinedoilinChadwasreducedbyaboutonethird,andthecountryeventuallystartedtodevelopitsownpolypropyleneprocessingindustry.
ChensaidthattheForumonChinaAfricaCooperation(FOCAC)isthemostextensive,highest-levelandmostinfluentialplatformforcommunicationbetweenChinaandAfricancountriestodate.
鈥淚twillplayanincreasinglyimportantroleinpromotingmutuallybeneficialcooperationbetweenChinaandAfricainthefieldofenergy,especiallyoilinthecaseofCNPC,andinbuildingacommunitywithasharedfutureformankind,鈥漢esaid.
CNPCwillstrengthencooperationwithrelatedcountriesinAfricainitsoilandgasbusinessthroughdeepcooperationwithresourcecountriesandtakeanactiveroleinmaintainingthepartnershipbetweenChinaandAfrica,saidChen.
Adheringtothebusinessprinciplesofbeingsincere,handsonandhonest,CNPCaimstocontinuepushingforwarditscooperationplanswithAfricancountries,assistAfricaindevelopingitselfalongsideChina,andfacilitateregionalindustrializationandagriculturalmodernization,inanefforttoachievewin-winresultsandrealizeshareddevelopment.
CopyeditedbyLaurenceCoulton
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