Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LIBREVILLE44
2007-01-25 12:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Libreville
Cable title:  

WHERE'S STP'S OIL MONEY?

Tags:  EPET ECON TP GB NI EFIN ENRG 
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P 251229Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9537
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0375
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 1352
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0650
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0329
RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0941
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA 0415
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RHMFISS/COMUSNAVEUR NAPLES IT
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000044 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

KINSHASA ALSO FOR BRAZZAVILLE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2116
TAGS: EPET ECON TP GB NI EFIN ENRG
SUBJECT: WHERE'S STP'S OIL MONEY?

REF: 2006 LIBREVILLE 00411

Classified By: Ambassador Barrie Walkley for reasons 1.4 b and d

WHERE'S STP'S OIL MONEY?

C O N F I D E N T I A L LIBREVILLE 000044

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

KINSHASA ALSO FOR BRAZZAVILLE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2116
TAGS: EPET ECON TP GB NI EFIN ENRG
SUBJECT: WHERE'S STP'S OIL MONEY?

REF: 2006 LIBREVILLE 00411

Classified By: Ambassador Barrie Walkley for reasons 1.4 b and d

WHERE'S STP'S OIL MONEY?


1. (U) As indicated in reftel, the signing bonuses for Blocks
2, 3 and 4 of the Sao Tome and Principe/Nigeria Joint
Development Zone totaled $201 million, with STP's share being
$80.4 million and Nigeria's $120.6 million. However, because
of a disastrous deal STP signed with Environmental
Remediation Holdings Company (ERHC) in the 1990s, STP
qualifies for only $28.6 million of its share (with ERHC
getting $51.8 million). The signing bonuses have been paid
by the oil companies to the Joint Development Agency (the
entity which manages the JDZ).


2. (C) It is unclear where the JDA (which is based in Abuja
and dominated by Nigeria) has deposited the money. This in
itself is worrying because of last year's precedent: The
signing bonuses for Block 1 were deposited for months in an
off-shore subsidiary of a Nigerian bank, with the funds
apparently disappearing when the bank went belly-up. (STP's
share fortunately had by then been transferred to STP's
account at the Federal Reserve in Washington.)


3. (C) Nigeria and STP are currently in a stand-off over
STP's $28.6 million share of the Block 2,3 and 4 signing
bonuses. STP owes Nigeria approximately $20 million in
loans, which Nigeria is insisting on deducting from the
signing bonus money. STP is in desperate need of capital and
wants Nigeria to postpone payment of the loans and release
the entire $28.6 million. STP President Fradique de Menezes
told the Ambassador that "Nigeria has STP over a barrel;
we've no leverage at all."

WHERE'S STP'S OIL?


4. (C) On January 19, Chevron STP's Country Manager, Tim
Parsons, met with de Menezes to repeat the information
Chevron had released previously: Chevron's drilling in Block
1 had revealed reserves that were disappointing and that did
not justify a "stand-alone" development. Parsons also told de
Menezes that Chevron will wait to see what the operators of
Blocks 2, 3 and 4 discover before deciding on future plans.
These operators are not expected to conduct any drilling
before 2008. Chevron's activities in STP will thus
essentially be dormant until at least 2008.


5. (C) Asked about a widespread rumor that a smaller oil
company could cut costs and successfully/commercially exploit
the Chevron discovery, Parsons said that the rumor had been
started by the JDA itself and has no basis in fact. Parsons
insisted that there is no way the current reserves discovered
by Chevron could be developed "stand alone" -- unless oil
reaches a sustained $80-100 dollar per barrel price.


WALKLEY