West Africa is a key strategic area for Chevron. Current production is about 500
thousand barrels per day in 2010 (Chevron equity share).
Chevron's activities in West Africa involve production and exploration in Nigeria,
Angola, The Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad.
Chevron is the operator of concessions that produce Agbami, Escravos, Bonny Light, Cabinda, Nemba, Kuito, and Palanca crude oils. Chevron also has equity production from concessions operated by other companies that include N'Kossa and Djeno crudes in the Republic of Congo, and Usan which will come onstream in 2012 in Nigeria. Crude oil from Chad is piped to Cameroon and exported as Doba Blend.
With the exception of Kuito and Doba Blend, these crude oils are mature, light,
high quality raw materials suitable for the manufacture of high valued transportation
fuels and specialty products. Kuito is a heavy crude oil. However, unlike most heavy
crude oils from Latin America and the Middle East, Kuito is a mature crude oil.
Its heaviness is caused by biodegradation resulting in the absence of a typical
light naphtha fraction. Chevron's West African crude oils, including Kuito, are
generally sweet and low in sulfur, nitrogen, and other heteroatoms.