Overview
Chad ranks as the tenth-largest oil reserve holder among African countries, with 1.5 billion barrels of proven reserves as of 2018 and production of over 140,000 barrels per day in 2020. Petroleum is Chad’s primary source of public revenue, and around 90 percent of oil production is exported. Chad’s oil production is dominated by the China National Petroleum Company in Chad (CNPCIC), the ExxonMobil-led Esso Exploration & Production Chad Inc. (EEPCI) consortium, Glencore, and Taiwanese Chinese Petroleum Corp (operating as OPIC). Other oil companies are exploring new blocs. EEPCI inaugurated Chadian oil production in 2003 and owns a controlling stake in the 1,100 km Chad-Cameroon pipeline through which all Chadian oil exports reach the port of Douala, Cameroon. A joint venture between CNPCIC and the Government of Chad’s state-owned oil company, Societé des Hydrocarbures du Tchad (SHT), refines petroleum for export and domestic consumption at a 20,000 barrel-per-day refinery 40 km outside N’Djamena. Chad’s natural gas sector is nascent. Stranded gas is flared.
|
Oil |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 (Q1) |
|
Total Production |
113,710 |
128,493 |
140,000 |
149,231 |
|
Total Exports |
99,306 |
109,863 |
129,589 |
133,846 |
|
Total Imports |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Total Market Size |
14,404 |
18,630 |
10,411 |
15,385 |
(total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)
Units: barrels per day (bpd)
Source: Chad Ministry of Finance and Budget (https://www.finances.gouv.td/)
Leading Sub-Sectors
Leading sub-sectors in oil and gas exploration include: geological surveying; oil facility maintenance; oil drilling rigs and accessories; oil exploration; pipeline construction/maintenance; security fences and other security measures; seismic mapping; storage tanks; and trucks, cranes, and related equipment. In addition, some U.S. companies have expressed interest in fuel marking and distribution.
Opportunities
There are opportunities for petroleum exploration, production, and refining, as well as natural gas exploration. With oil majors increasingly focus on mega-projects, Chad’s moderate deposits are best suited for small and medium enterprises. Companies interested in oil exploration in Chad should contact the Minister of Oil and Mines directly with a detailed proposal and evidence of past experience. There are opportunities to contract for various stages of production.
Resources
Ministry of Oil and Mines
CIA World Fact Book on Chad
For further information, please contact the U.S. Embassy in N’Djamena at Ndjamena-Commercial@state.gov.