Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CONAKRY1033
2007-09-14 07:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Conakry
Cable title:  

HOW MUCH GAS IS THERE REALLY?

Tags:  EMIN ECON ETRD GV 
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VZCZCXRO7472
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #1033 2570731
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140731Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1636
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS CONAKRY 001033 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: EMIN ECON ETRD GV
SUBJECT: HOW MUCH GAS IS THERE REALLY?


UNCLAS CONAKRY 001033

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: EMIN ECON ETRD GV
SUBJECT: HOW MUCH GAS IS THERE REALLY?



1. (SBU) On September 11, Econoff met with Bechtel employee Rick
Wickwire, the Construction Manager for the Sangaredi alumina
refinery project near Boke. During the course of the meeting, Mr.
Wickwire said he has worked for Bechtel for 32 years, and is very
experienced with major projects, having overseen the construction of
large Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) plants throughout the world.


2. (SBU) He dismissed the claim by Hyperdynamics that the offshore
reserves of natural gas in Guinea are the third largest in the
world. Mr. Wickwire stated that if the reserves were that large,
every LNG firm in the world would be in Guinea. He supported his
opinion by relating that LNG investment has a much higher return on
investment than bauxite, and so it would attract much more interest
than even the unique bauxite reserves of Guinea.


3. (SBU) COMMENT. While rumors abound in Guinea and it is often
difficult to determine their degree of accuracy, this information
comes from an experienced, third party observer working in the
extractive sector. It raises some questions as to the true extent of
Guinea's natural gas reserves. END COMMENT.

BROKENSHIRE