Niger

Niger is the world’s fifth-largest producer of uranium. It also has considerable reserves in gold, iron, coal and oil. Oil production began in 2011 and intensified following the expansion of the Agadem project by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), as well as several discoveries by Algerian state-owned enterprise SONATRACH and Savannah Petroleum. Petroleum exploration began in 1958 with the granting of Djado and Talak research permits to PREPA. After a suspension of research between 1965 and 1969, petroleum activities were resumed from 1970 on several blocks by companies such as GLOBAL ENERGY, CONOCO, ELF, TEXACO, HUNT Oil, ESSO, SUN Oil, TG World Energy, PETRONAS, SONATRACH and CNPC. Between 1960 and 2008, 42 exploration holes were drilled. Research activities became intensive from 2008 onwards following the signing of the Production Sharing Agreement between Niger and CNPC. The hydrocarbons potential of Niger is linked to two large basins covering 90 % of the national territory: -The Western basin (Iullemeden basin) and – The Eastern basin (Chad basin)