Africa Oil & Gas: Ghana and Togo Could Battle Over Keta East Block

Togo and Ghana could engage in a legal battle over oil exploration in the ultra-deep Keta East Block, according to Ghana’s Public Interest and Liability Committee (PIAC).

The Ghanaian government awarded a exploration block in the region to a joint venture of Blue Star Exploration, Ghana’s state-owned oil company GNPC, and Heritage E & P. This operation is disputed by the Togolese authorities who claim that the maritime boundary covering the oil concession granted is a Togolese territory. PAIC revealed this in their 2017 report that was recently released.

According to the PIAC report, the exploratory companies would even be intimidated by the Togolese coast guards every time they attempt to execute their specifications. In addition, the document urges officials to find a solution. “PIAC has noted the negative claims of the Togolese authorities regarding its maritime border with Ghana, particularly on the Keta East ultra-deep block, and urges the government to take urgent measures to demarcate Ghana’s maritime boundary with Togo and to resolve the dispute that is still at an early stage,”the report states.

Ghana was embroiled in a boundary dispute last year with Côte d’Ivoire over a vast oil perimeter located at the maritime border that straddles the two countries. Finally, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has delivered a favorable verdict in Ghana. Drilling is planned to start before the end of this year.source: AfricaPetroleum