LEXIQUE Archives - Page 4 of 5

Hydropower: how water generates and stores electricity

Mapathé SOW6 October 2026071 views

Hydropower converts moving water into electric current. Depending on the installation, a river's flow can pass through turbines, a dam can store water to generate during peak hours, or a pumped-storage plant can return some of the electricity consumed to lift water. The world's leading renewable source of electricity generation, hydropower provides grid flexibility but depends on water resources and can permanently transform ecosystems and territories.

Oil formation: from organic matter to a deposit

Mapathé SOW5 October 2026090 views

Oil forms neither quickly nor in an empty cavity. It results from a succession of geological processes that transform a small share of organic matter buried in sediments, then move hydrocarbons towards rocks where they can accumulate. A deposit requires a sufficiently rich source rock, appropriate maturation, migration pathways, a reservoir rock and a sealed trap. This combination explains why hydrocarbons occur in some basins and not in others.

Transporting natural gas: pipelines, LNG and regional networks

Mapathé SOW5 October 2026074 views

Between a deposit and power plants, factories or households, natural gas must travel through networks that sometimes cross borders. Two solutions dominate: pipelines, suited to continuous flows between connected territories, and liquefied natural gas (LNG), transported by ship when distance or geography makes pipelines less practical. In West Africa, the existing regional pipeline and major proposed projects illustrate the strategic role of this infrastructure.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG): definition, value chain and challenges

Mapathé SOW5 October 2026093 views

Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is gas cooled into a liquid so it can be transported and stored in a much smaller volume. This technology connects remote fields to markets not served by a pipeline. It opens new outlets for producers but relies on an expensive, energy-intensive industrial chain sensitive to technical and geopolitical disruptions. Since 2025, production at Grand Tortue Ahmeyim has also brought Senegal and Mauritania into this global industry.

Oil refining: how crude becomes fuel and feedstock

Mapathé SOW5 October 20260129 views

Crude oil extracted from underground is not directly suitable for most uses. In a refinery, it is separated into fractions, converted to better meet demand and then treated to comply with market specifications. Fuels, domestic gas, bitumen and petrochemical feedstocks come from this industrial chain. In Africa, developing local capacity can reduce some imports, provided supply, markets and plant profitability are secured.

Electricity: understanding generation, transmission and challenges

Mapathé SOW5 October 2026092 views

Invisible but indispensable, electricity powers homes, hospitals, factories and digital services. It is not a primary energy source: it must be generated, transmitted and constantly balanced against demand. In 2025, global demand grew by approximately 3%. In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 560 million people still lack electricity access, according to the latest available international estimates.

EPR reactor: how it works, capacity and projects

Mapathé SOW5 October 2026082 views

The EPR is a third-generation pressurised-water nuclear reactor designed to generate large quantities of electricity with redundant safety systems. Four units were operating at the end of 2025, including Flamanville 3 in France. Experience from these first construction projects now informs discussions about a revised version, the EPR2, and the industry's ability to build within announced schedules and budgets.

Nuclear energy: how it works, generation and issues

Mapathé SOW5 October 2026079 views

Nuclear energy uses heat released by fission of certain atomic nuclei to generate electricity. It provides dispatchable generation but requires complex facilities, substantial investment and rigorous fuel and waste management. In 2025, global nuclear generation reached a record as new reactors entered service and others were retired.

International Energy Agency (IEA): role, members and operation

Mapathé SOW5 October 2026081 views

Established after the 1973 oil shock, the International Energy Agency (IEA) is an intergovernmental organisation working on energy security, markets and policies. Its mandate has expanded far beyond oil: it collects data, publishes analyses and supports governments in their choices. It is neither a global regulator nor a universal organisation, but its work influences energy debates well beyond its members.

Oil: definition, formation, production and uses

Mapathé SOW5 October 2026093 views

A natural mixture of hydrocarbons, oil supplies fuels and petrochemical feedstocks. From exploration to refining, its industry connects industry, transport and global markets. In 2025, demand increased, but more slowly than supply.