22 Jan Oil and Gas – EITI Report 2013-2014
Oil and Gas
EITI Report 2013-2014
In 2013 and 2014, oil and gas sector counted five companies producing oil and gas in the southern part of Albania and six companies engaged in exploration activities. The State was involved in the sector through direct ownership of Albpetrol, engaged in exploration, development and production of oil and gas. Albpetrol holds shares as a primary licensee in all existing oil fields. In order to pursue efficient operations, Albpetrol sub-granted its rights to private oil companies.
Production of crude oil has more than doubled since 2003, when private oil companies started operating in the sector. In 2013, AKBN reported crude oil production at 1,203,637 ton with an estimated worth of USD 530 million. The production in 2014 increased to 1,386,124 ton with an estimated worth of USD 549 million. Bankers Petroleum operating the Patos-Marinza oilfield, extracted above than 87% of total crude oil production in 2013 and 2014. Albpetrol production counted at about 3% of domestic output in both years. The oil and gas sector contribution to the National budget accounted at minimum with 3% in 2013 and 2.7% in 2014. Despite the increase in domestic oil production, revenue from royalty dropped 6% in 2014 compared to 2013. Such decrease is mainly attributed to the drop in the oil price in the international markets, used in the determination of revenue from royalty as principal revenue stream to the National budget.
Despite increased production, employee number in the sector fell by 23% in the last four years. These changes were due to transfer of production operations from Albpetrol to the private oil companies. Apparently, the private sector could not absorb the employee force made redundant during these transfers. In 2014, the upstream oil and gas sector employed about 3,109 staff contributing with about 0.3% of total registered workforce reported by INSTAT in 2014. Albpetrol was the largest employer in 2014 in the sector with about 2,062 employees, comprising 66% of total employment in the sector.
In 2013, the crude oil produced approximated the internal demand for crude oil consumption at 98% and exceeded by 108% internal demand for crude oil in 2014. Based on these data, can be assumed that had total crude oil output been refined in Albania, the country output would have been very close to fulfilling domestic consumption of refined oil.
Oil produced in the country is mostly exported to be refined abroad. Internal consumption for refined oil is fulfilled through imported oil. Based on the data reported by the Albanian Custom, crude oil exports accounted to 104% of oil produced in 2013. This ratio decreased to 77% of oil produced in 2014, when crude oil refined through domestic refineries reached 22%.