Marisol Ivono Nchama

MAKING GREAT PROGRESS IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Almost a year after Oil Review Africa first caught up with Elite Construcciones, Marisol Ovono Nchama, the company’s managing director, provides an update on the latest activities in the emerging market of Equatorial Guinea.

We last caught up with Elite Construcciones at the start of 2019. What has the company achieved since then? Since we last talked, Elite Construcciones has been heavily involved in the Noble/MEGPL gas backfill project, including carrying out laser surveys, geotechnical drilling and site investigations, soil testing, site preparation and foundation works for the incoming pipeline. This is a good project for Noble Energy, Marathon Equatorial Guinea and the Ministry of Mines of Hydrocarbons and Elite is very proud to be a part of it.

Image Credit: Elite Construcciones

What are the prospects in the Equatorial Guinea market looking like at the moment? We feel that 2020 is going to be a positive year for Equatorial Guinea. The Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons has a good, positive initiative with various new projects on the table, including the gas hub. As a national company, Elite is hoping to be involved heavily in this and other new projects.

Why is Equatorial Guinea a good place to do business? Equatorial Guinea, like all the petroleum reliant countries, suffered badly when the oil prices crashed. However, we have proved ourselves to be fighters –Equatorial Guinea is back with a

Marisol Ovono Nchama is optimistic about Equatorial Guinea’s hydrocarbons industry in 2020.

We have proved ourselves to be fighters − Equatorial Guinea is back with a goal, and that goal is to succeed”

goal, and that goal is to succeed. Countries and companies that want to be involved in this ambitious Equatorial Guinea need to get involved before it's too late.

Tell us about your corporate social responsibility and local content commitments. As a national company, we are heavily involved in social responsibility and reinvesting in Equatorial Guinea. It is very important that all companies remember that we all have a commitment to help Equatorial Guinea with new social programmes.

These programmes do not always require financial assistance training and education are just as much a social requirement.

As for local content, Elite is fully committed. We employ more than 500 national staff, but it is not just employing the staff. It is about looking after them and teaching them how to excel and be part of a family, working together and helping each other. As a company, the most important single asset is our staff. Without them, there is no Elite –we are committed to local content.

What plans do you have for 2020 and beyond? To keep giving the service and commitment we have always given to our clients, without whom we would not be here. 