It is proposed that this article be deleted because of the following concern: If you can address this concern by improving, copyediting, sourcing, renaming, or merging the page, please edit this page and do so. You may remove this message if you improve the article or otherwise object to deletion for any reason. Although not required, you are encouraged to explain why you object to the deletion, either in your edit summary or on the talk page. If this template is removed, do not replace it. The article may be deleted if this message remains in place for seven days, i.e., after 03:03, 30 November 2024 (UTC). Find sources: "Entreprise Tunisienne d'Activités Pétrolières" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR |
Entreprise Tunisienne d'Activités Pétrolières (ETAP) is a state-owned industrial and commercial company in Tunisia directly in charge of the petroleum sector as well as the state's partnerships with foreign exploration and production operators.
| Company type | State-owned Corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hydrocarbons |
| Founded | 10 March 1972 |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Taieb El Kamel (Chairman) Ben Abdallah (Minister of Industry) |
| Products | Petroleum Natural Gas Exploration & Production Crude oil Trading |
| Services | Exploration and Production Services |
| TD 1646,069 million (2018) | |
Number of employees | 691 (2009) |
| Subsidiaries | Joint Gas Société nationale de distribution du pétrole Numhyd Société tunisienne des lubrifiants |
| Website | www.etap.com.tn |
Overview
editETAP was created by law N°72-22 on 10 March 1972, to manage petroleum exploration and production activities on behalf of the Tunisian government. ETAP is primarily active in endeavors related to attracting international oil companies to provide financing for exploration projects, particularly in the country's smaller oil fields. To help achieve this objective, Tunisia introduced a new hydrocarbon law (Law 99/93) that includes incentives with favorable fiscal regulations and additional legal flexibility of licensing procedures and terms. The new law has been effective since August 20, 2000.[1] A provision for foreign corporations was a reduction in the tax rate from 75 to 50 percent, with ETAP taking a 40% share of the concession.
Activities
editAs of 2007, ETAP has granted a total of 44 exploration licenses to 42 international and domestic companies. Additionally, ETAP has been working in Syria with German-based Preussag to develop small oil fields and has signed an oil cooperation agreement with Iraq. In December 2004, the Syrian and Tunisian governments signed exploration agreements for areas in northeastern Syria. ETAP also has joint ventures with Sonatrach of Algeria and Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC). The 50-50 joint venture with NOC, known as the Tunisian-Libyan Gas Transportation Company (Joint Gas), is the client of the Trans-Med gas pipeline, which will supply natural gas from the Libyan town Melitah to Gabes in southeast Tunisia.[2]
In April 2005, the Mabdallah Saad al-Thani Corporation of the United Arab Emirates announced a five-year exploration agreement with ETAP for the El Jem block, while U.S.-based Rigo Oil Company announced an exploration agreement for the Tozeur-Sud block. By the end of 2005, ETAP had issued 41 permits (26 onshore and 15 offshore), leading to an increase in total investment in petroleum exploration to US$135 million.[3] In February 2006, Tunisia awarded PetroCanada and Anadarko a two-year production sharing agreements (PSAs) with ETAP for the Cape Sirat and Bashtar blocks.
In February 2006, a 35-year-old exploration dispute between Tunisia and Malta was resolved. The two countries signed a joint development agreement of the continental shelf between Malta and Tunisia, which is located near the Tunisian Isis field and Libya's offshore Bouri field. On March 20, 2007, Lundin Petroleum AB announced that ETAP decided to exercise its participation option to acquire a 20% interest in the Oudna field, offshore Tunisia. Following ETAP's participation, Lundin Petroleum and Atlantis Holding Norway AS will each hold 40%. The Oudna field development was successfully completed and production commenced in November 2006 and is now producing over 20,000 bbl/d (3,200 m3/d). Average production for 2007 is estimated to be 14,000 bbl/d (2,200 m3/d).[4]
Notes
edit- ^ PGS Geophysical AS 'Offshore Northern Tunisia' Archived 2006-11-05 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ World Energy Monthly Review[permanent dead link] Vol. 2 No. 12 December 2006
- ^ ETAP Annual Report 2005
- ^ ETAP To Exercise its 20 Percent Participation Option in The Oudna Field, Offshore Tunisia Archived 2022-12-11 at the Wayback Machine 20 March 2007
References
edit- Energy Information Administration (2007) Tunisia: Country Analysis Brief
- ETAP Annual Report 2007
- P. Mobbs (2002) Mineral Industry of Algeria
- Thomas S. Ahlbrandt (2001) Sirte Basin Province: Sirte-Zelten Total Petroleum System U.S. Geological Survey
- Sonatrach official site (in French)
- Project GALSI (in French)
- Naftal
