Emerging frontiers of energy exploration in post-boom Africa

The likelihood of a continued depression ofcommodity prices globally will have
a significant impact on the future of Africa’s oil and gas producing countries that
remain dependent on energy export revenues tofinancedevelopment. New
discoveries of oil and gas across sub-Saharan Africa will result in an increasing
number ofcountries becoming significant energy producers and exporters, and
much of the new potential exists in various formsofunconventionalenergy,such
as shale, coal-bedmethane and ultra-deepwater. So far,however,African
countriesdonotfeaturesignificantlyindebatesontheglobalexpansionof
unconventional fuelsexploration andproduction.Thereforethischapter
examines how prospects for hydrocarbon exploration in sub-Saharan Africa have
been affected by the recent crash and increased volatility in global oil prices.