Entreprise Tunisienne d'Activites Petroliere
Encyclopedia
Entreprise Tunisienne d'Activités Pétrolières (ETAP) is a state-owned industrial
and commercial
company in Tunisia
directly in charge of the petroleum
sector as well as the state's partnerships with foreign exploration and production operators.
s. To help achieve this objective, Tunisia introduced a new hydrocarbon law (Law 99/93) that includes incentives with favorable fiscal regulations and additional legal flexibility of licensing procedures and terms. The new law has been effective since August 20, 2000. A provision for foreign corporations was a reduction in the tax rate from 75 to 50 percent, with ETAP taking a 40% share of the concession.
with German-based Preussag
to develop small oil fields and has signed an oil cooperation agreement with Iraq
. In December 2004, the Syrian and Tunisian governments signed exploration agreements for areas in northeastern Syria. ETAP also has joint venture
s with Sonatrach
of Algeria
and Libya's National Oil Corporation
(NOC). The 50-50 joint venture with NOC, known as the Tunisian-Libyan Gas Transportation Company (Joint Gas), is the client of the Trans-Med gas pipeline
, which will supply natural gas
from the Libyan town Melitah to Gabes in southeast Tunisia.
In April 2005, the Mabdallah Saad al-Thani Corporation of the United Arab Emirates
announced a five-year exploration agreement with ETAP for the El Jem block, while U.S.-based Rigo Oil Company announced an exploration agreement for the Tozeur-Sud block. By the end of 2005, ETAP had issued 41 permits (26 onshore and 15 offshore), leading to an increase in total investment in petroleum exploration to US$135 million. In February 2006, Tunisia awarded PetroCanada and Anadarko a two-year production sharing agreements (PSAs) with ETAP for the Cape Sirat and Bashtar blocks.
In February 2006, a 35-year-old exploration dispute between Tunisia and Malta
was resolved. The two countries signed a joint development agreement of the continental shelf
between Malta and Tunisia, which is located near the Tunisian Isis field and Libya’s offshore Bouri field
. On March 20, 2007, Lundin Petroleum
AB
announced that ETAP decided to exercise its participation option to acquire a 20% interest in the Oudna field, offshore Tunisia. Following ETAP's participation, Lundin Petroleum and Atlantis Holding Norway AS will each hold 40%. The Oudna field development was successfully completed and production commenced in November 2006 and is now producing over 20000 oilbbl/d. Average production for 2007 is estimated to be 14000 oilbbl/d.
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
and commercial
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
company in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
directly in charge of the petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
sector as well as the state's partnerships with foreign exploration and production operators.
Overview
ETAP was created by law N°72-22 on March 10, 1972, to manage petroleum exploration and production activities on behalf of the Tunisian government. ETAP is primarily active in endeavors related to attracting international oil companies to provide financing for exploration projects, particularly in the country's smaller oil fieldOil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
s. To help achieve this objective, Tunisia introduced a new hydrocarbon law (Law 99/93) that includes incentives with favorable fiscal regulations and additional legal flexibility of licensing procedures and terms. The new law has been effective since August 20, 2000. A provision for foreign corporations was a reduction in the tax rate from 75 to 50 percent, with ETAP taking a 40% share of the concession.
Activities
As of 2007, ETAP has granted a total of 44 exploration licenses to 42 international and domestic companies. Additionally, ETAP has been working in SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
with German-based Preussag
Preussag
Preussag AG was a German mining company which later operated in a variety of industries. It was incorporated on October 9, 1923 as Preußische Bergwerks- und Hütten-Aktiengesellschaft ....
to develop small oil fields and has signed an oil cooperation agreement with Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. In December 2004, the Syrian and Tunisian governments signed exploration agreements for areas in northeastern Syria. ETAP also has joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
s with Sonatrach
Sonatrach
Sonatrach is an Algerian government-owned company formed to exploit the hydrocarbon resources of the country. Its diversified activities cover all aspects of production: exploration, extraction, transport, and refining...
of Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and Libya's National Oil Corporation
National Oil Corporation
The National Oil Corporation is the national oil company of Libya. It dominates Libya's oil industry, along with a number of smaller subsidiaries, which combined account for around 70% the country's oil output...
(NOC). The 50-50 joint venture with NOC, known as the Tunisian-Libyan Gas Transportation Company (Joint Gas), is the client of the Trans-Med gas pipeline
Trans-Med gas pipeline
The Trans-Med gas pipeline supplies natural gas from Tunisia to Italy by way of Sicily. In 1995, its capacity reached 24 bcm per year. In the fall of 1997, a terrorist attack severed the pipeline in Algeria for five days...
, which will supply natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
from the Libyan town Melitah to Gabes in southeast Tunisia.
In April 2005, the Mabdallah Saad al-Thani Corporation of the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
announced a five-year exploration agreement with ETAP for the El Jem block, while U.S.-based Rigo Oil Company announced an exploration agreement for the Tozeur-Sud block. By the end of 2005, ETAP had issued 41 permits (26 onshore and 15 offshore), leading to an increase in total investment in petroleum exploration to US$135 million. In February 2006, Tunisia awarded PetroCanada and Anadarko a two-year production sharing agreements (PSAs) with ETAP for the Cape Sirat and Bashtar blocks.
In February 2006, a 35-year-old exploration dispute between Tunisia and Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
was resolved. The two countries signed a joint development agreement of the continental shelf
Continental shelf
The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain. Much of the shelf was exposed during glacial periods, but is now submerged under relatively shallow seas and gulfs, and was similarly submerged during other interglacial periods. The continental margin,...
between Malta and Tunisia, which is located near the Tunisian Isis field and Libya’s offshore Bouri field
Bouri Field
The Bouri Offshore Field is part of Block NC-41, which is located north of the Libyan coast in the Mediterranean Sea. It was first discovered in 1976 at a depth of and is estimated to contain in proven recoverable crude oil reserves and of associated natural gas with an annual production...
. On March 20, 2007, Lundin Petroleum
Lundin Petroleum
Lundin Petroleum is an independent international petroleum company formed in 2001 and based in Sweden.-History:The company was formed in 2001 following the takeover of Lundin Oil AB by Canadian independent Talisman Energy, Lundin Petroleum AB is a Swedish oil company traded on the Stockholm Stock...
AB
Aktiebolag
Aktiebolag is the Swedish term for "limited company" or "corporation". When used in company names, it is abbreviated "AB" or "Ab"...
announced that ETAP decided to exercise its participation option to acquire a 20% interest in the Oudna field, offshore Tunisia. Following ETAP's participation, Lundin Petroleum and Atlantis Holding Norway AS will each hold 40%. The Oudna field development was successfully completed and production commenced in November 2006 and is now producing over 20000 oilbbl/d. Average production for 2007 is estimated to be 14000 oilbbl/d.