Niger to start drilling first barrels of oil on Dec. 1

The first barrels of Nigerien oil will be drilled on Dec.1, according to the land-locked African country's Energy Minister Pierre Foumakoye Gado. Gado made the disclosure in parliament on Friday during a session to discuss the progress made in drilling of the Nigerien oil. Gado said the planned drilling will enable the Niger Petroleum Company (SONIDEP) to avail petrol to the consumers as from Dec. 1 and the inauguration of the refinery will take place on Nov. 28 in at Zinder in the central east. The minister said a committee to reflect on the different supply and commercialization agreements for the Nigerien oil had already been formed. Gado said the price of a liter of petrol at the pump will be 579 FCFA (less than 2 U. S. dollars) and that the subsidized price takes into account the current realities. With the drilling of oil, Niger will not only stop importing petroleum products, but create nearly 2,000 jobs.