ZAMBIA HAS OIL!

...a sample collected from Gwembe yielded 4.09% oil

ASAMPLE of crude that was collected by the Daily Nation in Gwembe and submitted to the Copperbelt University has been found to contain 40955 ppm or 4.0955 percent oil which experts have described as a very good yield.

According to results of the chemical analysis, the sample from Gwembe has a presence of oil and grease of 40955 ppm or 4.0955 percent.

And now, energy expert, Johnstone Chikwanda has advised government to secure the discovery by setting up a special commission that would quickly carry out explorations.

It is not clear if this Gwembe deposit is part of a large reservoir or fissure as this could be part of a large source within the earth crust and hence the need for an urgent exploration and securing of the area.

A sample that a Daily Nation team took from Jongolo River in Chisanga area of Gwembe has turned out to contain oil, according to experts.

On January 12, 2020 a Daily Nation team travelled on a fact finding mission to Chisanga area in Gwembe and retrieved a sample which was submitted to the Copperbelt University for a chemical analysis.

This result, according to experts, shows a very good yield and calls for safeguarding of the source and other areas that are known to have similar characteristics.

Energy Institute of Zambia president Johnstone Chikwanda has called on President Lungu to establish a “petroleum commission” to spearhead among other things, the search for oil and gas.

Mr Chikwanda said the Ministry of Mines was too overwhelmed with mining activities to pay much attention to the oil sector, which was also important.

He said the commission would also look at mobilising resources and fund exploration activities to a certain extent and work hand in hand with other government agencies and ministries.

He also said the task for the search for oil and gas was too precious and urgent to be left embedded in the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development which was extremely busy and overwhelmed with other mining sector issues.

“The Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development has the technical capacity but is encumbered and overwhelmed. And to this end, government should consider establishing a Petroleum Commission to specifically drive and manage this process and that funding for the Petroleum Commission could come from a number of sources which include imposing a small levy on motor vehicle license or imposing it on the mining sector,” he said.

Mr Chikwanda said Zambia had lagged behind in the search for oil and gas because of lack of a strong framework which was supposed to inform, guide, drive and mentor activities aimed at developing the discovery and harvesting of oil and gas.

He said the current government has not only diversified the energy sector but has attached very strong political will to the search for oil and gas in Zambia.

However, this political will, he said, was supposed to be supported by sound legal framework which is capable of attracting local and foreign investors.

“It is saddening that countries which started to explore for oil and gas recently have discovered massive oil and gas reserves while Zambia is yet to strike the “black gold” despite her potential.

With regard to the good news which has been reported in Southern Province where a substance which appears to be a petroleum product had been discovered, the expert said the good news must not be taken lightly and with levity.

He said the product could be a petroleum product but that there was need to conduct structured investigations in order to address some technical questions.

There is need to deal with bottlenecks which have been a harbinger of stagnation and failure in this aspect, because if we do not address this lacuna and ‘cure it’ with a sound framework which has to be part and parcel of local and international road shows, our dream of making Zambia an oil producing and exporting country will remain a pipe dream,” he said.

The Gwembe oil was discovered by a group of boys herding cattle near the mountains who alerted the traditional authority in the area on the oily substance in the mountains and river bed.

The villagers are reportedly using the substance for lighting in the houses.