2006/8/27 共同
国際石油２社に退去命令 チャド、資源支配強化へ
アフリカの新興産油国チャドのデビ大統領は２６日、石油大手の米シェブロンとマレーシア国営ペトロナスの２社に対し、計４億５０００万ドル（約５３０億円）に上る税金の支払いを拒否したとして、２４時間以内の国外退去を命じた。ロイター通信などが伝えた。
チャドは今月上旬、アフリカへの資源外交を積極展開する中国と国交を回復したばかり。中国の大規模な石油事業投資を見込み、チャドは資源分野に対する政府支配を強める方針とみられる。
チャドの石油生産はこの２社に米エクソンモービルを加えた計３社の共同事業体で実施。２社の生産量はチャド全体の約６０％を占め、２社が退去した後は中国企業が進出するとの指摘もある。
共同事業体との協定では、チャドは総生産量の１２・５％を利益として受け取るとしているが、大統領は協定に不満を述べており、利益配分を増やしたい意向も示唆した。
チャドでは２０００年、３社の共同事業体が南部のドバ盆地などで石油開発を始め、０３年から石油輸出を開始した。現在の生産量は日量約１７万バレル。
Chad Orders Chevron,
Petronas to Leave
Chad's President Orders Chevron, Petronas to Leave Country,
Alleging They Failed to Pay Taxes
Chad's president on Saturday ordered oil companies Chevron Corp.
and Petronas to leave the country, saying neither has paid taxes
and his country will take responsibility for the oil fields they
have overseen.
In remarks on state-run radio, President Idriss Deby gave the
companies part of the African country's oil production consortium
that is led by Exxon Mobil a deadline of just 24 hours to start
making plans to leave.
"Chad has decided that as of tomorrow (Sunday) Chevron and
Petronas must leave Chad because they have refused to pay their
taxes," Deby said in a message broadcast on state-run radio.
Deby said Chad, which is one of Africa's newest oil producers and
is setting up a national oil company, would take over the oil
fields that have been overseen by the American and Malaysian
companies and account for some 60 percent of its oil production.
Sabri Syed, a spokesman for Kuala Lumpur-based Petroliam Nasional
Berhad, said he could not comment on Deby's announcement.
A message seeking comment with San Ramon, Calif.-based Chevron
was not immediately returned.
If the two companies are evicted, Chad could seek help from
China, which has taken an active interest in Africa in its search
for raw materials like oil and metals.
Earlier this year, Chad broke off diplomatic relations with
Taiwan and turned instead to China, a move that could help it
sell its oil to the energy-hungry power.
China is already the largest exporter of oil from Angola and it
also exports oil from Sudan.
The production and export of petroleum in Chad are overseen by
the Exxon Mobil-led consortium. Under the mechanism, Texas-based
Exxon Mobil Corp. is responsible for 40 percent of the country's
production, while Chevron and Petronas each have 30 percent.
The three companies agreed to finance a risky $4.2 billion, 659
mile pipeline to deliver oil from landlocked Chad to the Atlantic
port of Kribi in Cameroon.
The companies agreed to invest the money after the World Bank
gave the project its blessing and after Chad passed a World
Bank-backed oil revenues law that required most of the money to
be allocated to health, education and infrastructure projects.
From October 2003 to December 2005, the consortium exported some
133 million barrels of oil from Chad, according to the World
Bank.
Chad itself earned $307 million, or about 12.5 percent, on each
barrel exported.
But the venture has proved troubling for Chad, at times. In
January, the World Bank froze $125 million in oil revenue and cut
$124 million in financial aid, accusing Chad of reneging on a
promise to set aside part of its oil revenues to help the poor.
Last month, the government reached a deal with the bank and
signed an accord to commit 70 percent of its budget to poverty
and development programs.
But the World Bank also agreed to allow 30 percent of oil
revenues to go toward Chad's general treasury, instead of just 15
percent. Chad can use that money on whatever it wants including
weapons.
Deby's declaration came a day after he urged his citizens to take
a more active role in the production of oil.
Chad government spokesman Hourmadji Moussa Doumgor told reporters
on Friday that Deby wanted greater profits from oil production.
Deby has stressed that the country "should fully enjoy its
oil, mining and other resources," Doumgor said.
Chad, which is not a member of the Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries, has struggled with discontent over its poor
economy, and unhappiness has intensified over the failure of an
immediate boost from its oil field, which went online for
development in 2003.
Unrest also has spilled over from Darfur, where Sudan's
Arab-dominated government is accused of encouraging a campaign of
destruction aimed at civilians in African farming villages that
are the base for a three-year-old rebellion. Sudan charges that
Chad supports the Darfur rebels. Chad, in turn, accuses Sudan of
backing eastern Chad rebels.