Posted on 10/08/2011 4:02:57 PM PDT by Steve Peacock
U.S. taxpayers are footing the bill for a “feasibility study” aimed at helping the government of Ghana decide whether to build a ship-mounted liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal. While the initial study will cost $691,000, the estimated cost of a subsequent LNG infrastructure project could be as much as a quarter-billion dollars. It remains unclear how much of that amount will be borne by the U.S.
According to a modified solicitation (#2011-11016A) extending the proposal deadline to Nov. 4, the U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) said the project:
is a high priority for the Government of Ghana, and would help Ghana meet its rapidly growing demand for gas to fuel the country's thermal power plants. Presently, supply shortages and disruptions are leaving many power plants without a reliable source of fuel, and many power plants are substituting less environmentally friendly liquid fuels such as diesel and heavy fuel oil. The project would allow the Government of Ghana to import LNG from the international market to supplement Ghana's gas supply and ensure the reliable delivery of fuel to the country's power plants, and facilitate the use of cleaner burning natural gas.
USTDA claims the study will assist Ghana “in determining the cost effectiveness and technical viability” of building the LNG terminal and related infrastructure such as mooring and pipelines.
I think these projects should be done as a straight-up loan.
I think it would go farther to help people when it’s done as a loan.
How stupid are these people. We’re going to build them a terminal and are we expected to purchase the gas? We have NG coming out of every pore of our body and we have no money, what’s wrong with this picture.
I guess it is just world-wide redistribution of the USA’s wealth...that’s all.
0bama, Holder, et al. are determined to bleed the U.S. and the West white (so to speak) to transfer power and wealth to the Third World’s “people of color.”
The government has no business behaving like venture capitalists while putting us into deeper debt bondage.
Killing all jobs in the energy sector of this country and OUR GOVERNMENT using tax payer dollars, our own money, to invest in energy infastructure in another country IS TREASON!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GOP? CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHO PUT YOU THERE? WHY ARE YOU AFRAID TO UTTER THE WORD IMPEACHMENT?
The project consultants for the feasibility study are most likely to be American. The LNG terminal is most likely to be constructed by either ExxonMobil or ChevronTexaco.
Most of the money will be spent by Americans on Americans while furthering America’s strategic interests.
Whoever does the feasibility study and constructs the terminal has an upper hand in discussions over exploitation of Natural Gas.
This is business - nothing personal.
I don’t see what the problem is. (Most of the money will go back to America firms anyway).
If the Americans didn’t do it, the French, Italians, British or Chinese would jump at the opportunity.
In case any of you haven’t been playing close attention to the news, Ghana is one of Africa’s newest Oil exporters and the Chinese are all over Africa like flies on honey.
Thank you for your feedback, but you seem to be missing the point: it is not my job to provide ExxonMobil or CHevronTexaco with additional funds to make a profit, a profit for which I receive no return on my investment. Similarly, it is not the responsibility of the average cook, cleaner, teacher, pipe-fitter, hair stylist, etc, to transfer their hard-earned money to the U.S. firms that benefit from such projects.
ExxonMobil and ChevronTexaco also pay tax to the US Government.
The World is too dynamic for ideological purity, Ghana has about 2 billion barrels of crude - are you going to abandon it to the Chinese?
Foreign policy involves a little nibbling around the edges. I can understand why you have problems with unhindered foreign aid, but I don’t understand why you have problems with this.
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