Senegal: A Promising Start in Hydrocarbon Production

Mamoudo samoura

Senegal has officially joined the group of hydrocarbon-producing countries with the commencement of operations at the Sangomar oil field, located approximately 100 km south of Dakar. This project, led by the Australian company Woodside Energy, required an investment of 5 billion dollars and aims for a daily production of 100,000 barrels. In the long term, the country expects to generate annual revenues exceeding one billion euros over the next thirty years. Meanwhile, another major project, Grand Tortue/Ahmeyim (GTA), on the Mauritanian border, is set to produce 2.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas per year, further boosting the country’s energy potential.

However, these discoveries bring both hopes and challenges. The newly elected president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has promised a thorough audit of the oil and gas sector to ensure that contracts serve the country’s national interests. This approach aims to avoid the “oil curse,” which has often led to corruption in other African countries. With production intended for both export and domestic consumption, Senegal enters a new economic era, asserting its sovereign rights while facing international pressure to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.