Petroleum Potential of Africa and Prospects for its Development by Ministry of geology of the union of soviet socialist republic

Abstract

Oil and gas, the most efficient energy raw materials, are also the world's major sources of energy. Oil supplies about 50 per cent of world energy needs while in many developed countries its share is over 75 per cent. Natural gas, in active use since the 1940s, accounts at present for about 20 per cent of world energy supply. The energy crisis of 1973-1974 stimulated increased interest in the problem of the supply of and the growing demand for oil and gas natural resources. Under such circumstances reliable estimates of undiscovered oil and gas reserves as well as their future production have taken on much greater importance. The published estimates of world and regional oil and gas resources differ widely. These differences can be attributed to many causes, the most important of which is the use of different methods and geological data This paper attempts to analyze from different view-points, the geological and economic factors affecting the estimates made of oil and gas resources in African countries and prospects for their development.