On Friday, April 8th, the Ghana students' chemical society invited the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Chemistry students to join a presentation by Mr. Michael Amponsah Kwatia, a UCC graduate and representative of the Ghanaian National Petroleum Comission (GNPC).
GNPC owns the Jubilee field, an off-shore oil field southwest of Takoradi, which has been opened in the fourth quarter of 2010. Right now, the output averages 120,000 barrel per day but should increase to 240,000 barrel/day later on. Additionally, natural gas is being produced at the Jubilee field, too. With the discovery of oil at the Ghanaian shores, experts say that there will be a need for many kinds of workforce. Besides the jobs that are directly related to the oil and gas production, also a lot of secondary businesses will have a demand, for example infrastructure, transportation, accommodation, banking, insurance and many more. Since Takoradi is only 80 km away from Cape Coast, this should also have a positive impact on the Central Region.
But first and foremost, the oil industry needs workers and engineers of all kinds, for example mechanical, electrical and also chemical engineers. Michael Kwatia, who himself graduated in chemistry at UCC, pointed out a few of the many things chemical engineers can do at and around Jubilee field. Some of the tasks are gas chromatography, oil and gas processing, analysis of the products and the water, treatment of sour water, and safety and environmental issues, just to name a few. With an estimated 1.5 billion barrel volume, Jubilee field should be able to offer plenty of secure jobs for the next several years as oil is still one of the most important and most wanted resources in the world. Unfortunately Kwatia was not available for an interview with Central Press after his presentation which left many questions unanswered, but by contacting GNPC, interested students or graduates should be able to learn more about their possible future in the oil industry.
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