Total Says Nigeria’s Oil Bill Will Hurt Industry

According to a September 21 report from the Associated Press, a top official at French oil major Total SA warned that a proposal to overhaul Nigeria's oil industry would hobble foreign investment, just as the firm prepares to bring a major offshore field into production. Analysts said the petroleum bill would sharply reduce the profits of foreign oil companies like Chevron Corp., Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Total, all of whom have subsidiaries operating oil fields in Nigeria. Government officials said the bill would allow more oil money to return to Nigeria's people. The bill also would require the government-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corp., which partners with all foreign oil firms, to seek profits like a private business and not rely on government subsidies.

(Source: The Associated Press)