Oil companies step up exploration and production across the continent, but most notably in Nigeria.

Deepwater areas off the coasts of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Sierra Leone could become a major new oil province with production-growth to rival Angola’s, according to geologists close to exploration there.

Exxon Mobil Corporation’s affiliate Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited (Esso Angola) has been celebrating 15 years of safe and successful operations in Angola.

Chevron, one of the world’s largest energy companies, was having specific problems with risers due to corrosion and was subsequently looking for ways to inspect the risers without closing the whole field, which would have resulted in millions of dollars in lost revenue.

SGS SA and Halliburton have entered into a joint cooperation agreement combining formation fluid sample acquisition and analysis services.

Chevron Corporation has announced a $21.6bn capital and exploratory spending programme for 2010, a five per cent decrease from projected 2009 expenditures.