沙特阿拉伯和尼日利亚希望加强石油关系

据普氏能源资讯4月26日报道称，尼日利亚石油部周五表示，沙特正在寻求加强与非洲最大产油国的关系。作为一项投资协议的一部分，国有的沙特阿美公司公司正研究在尼日利亚建设一座炼油厂的可能性。

根据石油部的一份声明，这两个欧佩克成员国将签署一份谅解备忘录（MOU），该谅解备忘录将“涵盖投资的关键领域，包括炼油厂改造，建造一座新的炼油厂和液化天然气设施”。

尼日利亚石油部长Emmanuel Kachikwu本周访问了利雅得，在那里会见了沙特石油部长Khalid al-Falih，并与沙特阿美公司首席执行官Amin Nasser举行了会谈。

“沙特石油部长 al-Falih还重申了在尼日利亚建立独立炼油厂的可能性，因为沙特认为尼日利亚是接触其他非洲国家的最佳枢纽，”沙特石油部表示。

谅解备忘录的早期草案将在5月的第一周准备好。

尼日利亚希望从沙特阿美公司最近积极的石油行业投资中获益。

沙特正努力扩大其下游业务的国际影响力。阿美公司最近宣布计划在印度，巴基斯坦和南非建立炼油厂。

尼日利亚迫切需要投资来重振其不景气的炼油行业。由于国内炼油能力不足，这个非洲最大的石油生产国完全依赖进口来满足本国的燃料需求。

尼日利亚一直在争取中东国家帮助其发展炼油业，以加强当地燃料供应和终止进口。

徐蕾 摘译自 普氏能源资讯

原文如下：

Saudi Arabia, Nigeria look to strengthen oil ties

Saudi Arabia is looking to strengthen ties with Africa's largest oil producer, with state-owned Saudi Aramco studying the possibility of building an oil refinery in Nigeria, as part of an investment agreement, the Nigerian oil ministry said Friday.

The two OPEC members are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will "cover key areas of investment including refinery revamp, building of a brand new refinery, and LNG," according to an oil ministry statement.

Nigeria's oil minister Emmanuel Kachikwu visited Riyadh this week where he met with his counterpart Khalid al-Falih and also held meetings with Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser.

"[Saudi oil minister] al-Falih also reiterated the possibility of establishing an independent refinery in Nigeria as the country considers Nigeria as the best hub to reach other African countries," the ministry said.

An early draft of the MOU will be ready in the first week of May.

Nigeria is hoping to benefit from Saudi Aramco's recent aggressive oil sector investments.

Saudi Arabia is on a drive to increase its downstream presence internationally. Aramco recently announced plans to build refineries in India, Pakistan and South Africa.

Nigeria is in urgent need of investment to revamp its ailing refining sector, with Africa's biggest oil producer wholly dependent on imports to meet its local fuel needs due to inadequate domestic refining capacity.

Nigeria has been courting Middle Eastern nations to help develop its refining sector, to bolster local fuel supplies and end imports.