Ghana loses $20 million annually due to inefficient and ineffective hydrocarbon metering
Experts in Ghana’s oil and gas industry have emphasised the urgent need for comprehensive and systematic reforms to address the persistent challenge of inefficient measurement practices.
At the inaugural Oil and Gas Measurement and Metering Summit in Accra on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, experts proposed solutions to this critical issue, identifying policy incoherence, lack of effective collaboration, outdated metering systems, and weak regulatory oversight as key factors contributing to significant losses in oil and gas product measurement.
It was revealed during the conference that Ghana loses approximately $20 million annually due to inefficient and ineffective hydrocarbon metering.
These substantial and ongoing losses have prompted experts and stakeholders to issue an urgent call for the swift implementation of measures to address the issue.
George Nii Tettey, a Measurement Engineer, spoke authoritatively on the problem, calculating that a mere one percent measurement error in a standard 100,000-barrel-per-day oil field results in daily losses of 1,000 barrels.
“At current prices, this small discrepancy costs our nation $20 million annually—funds that could transform communities or support critical infrastructure,” he said.
He added, “In an industry where billions depend on precision, ‘close enough’ measurements constitute economic sabotage. The world is watching to see whether Ghana will lead or continue to suffer.”
Emmanuel Kwesi Bedzrah, Chairman of Parliament’s Select Committee on Energy, made a startling revelation about the conduct of some companies in the oil and gas sector, urging regulators to enhance their oversight.
“When producers act as the sole judges of their own output, with only Customs officials present and no government measurement equipment, we are essentially allowing foxes to guard the henhouse,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Operations and Technical at the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC) Onasis Rosely acknowledged the metering system challenges in his speech, affirming that his organization is committed to implementing effective measurement systems at the petroleum hub.
AM/KA
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