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  • With decades of Global experience across the value chain in the oil & gas and energy industry, Dr. Riverson Oppong is currently the CEO/ Industrial Coordinator of the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC), Ghana. He is also an Adjunct Lecturer at Ghana Technology University College, a Coventry University Campus in Africa, and a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He is an E&P Committee Member of the International Gas Union (IGU). He is also the Africa Regional Director of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), even as he continues to serve as a Board Director of SPE International.  

      

    He is an experienced Oil and Gas Business Analyst with solid technical and commercial knowledge in oil and gas field development planning and portfolio management. He is heavily involved in the day-to-day interpretation of value creation potential for oil and gas businesses. His strengths include being diligent, innovative, and technology-driven.  

      

    He holds a PhD and a Post Doctorate Degree in International Oil and Gas Management - Finance and Economics from Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas; Diploma in Earth GeoScience from Stanford University, USA; Master's (with honours) in Petroleum Engineering from Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, with a Master's Exchange Program in Arctic Development from the Norwegian University of Nordland; the Certificate of Achievement for the Managing Mining, Oil and Gas for National Development executive programme at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, a Bachelor's degree in Materials (Industrial) Science and Engineering from K.N.U.S.T., Ghana; Diploma in Project Management from the Institute of Commercial Management, UK.  

      

    As the Industry Coordinator & CEO of the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies in Ghana, he serves as the chief spokesperson for the oil marketing companies, advocating for a conducive business environment that promotes the growth and development of the downstream petroleum industry. Dr. Oppong spearheads the chamber's efforts in promoting the image of its members, building their capacity, and fostering a culture of healthy competition. He also liaises with government agencies and stakeholders to influence policy-making and legislation, providing technical advice and input to shape the industry's future. Additionally, he works to promote the interests of members, encourage research and development, and facilitate collaboration among industry players to drive the growth of the downstream petroleum sector in Ghana.  

      

    Dr. Oppong has played an active role in Ghana’s Energy Sector Recovery Program; a program that gave birth to the Cash Waterfall Mechanism, Natural Gas Clearinghouse, and P4R. He worked tirelessly to ensure that the objectives of these programs were holistically achieved. Dr. Oppong equally sat on Ghana’s National Energy Transition Technical Committee, where he contributed to writing policy documents to address Ghana’s energy transition roadmap. He also played a dynamic role in the review of Ghana’s Gas Master Plan (GMP) and Natural Gas Pricing Policy (NGPP).   

      

    He played a salient role in the determination of the Weighted Cost of Delivered Gas Prices (WCODG) in Ghana’s Energy Sector, while he sat on national committees of Gas Price Negotiations with Upstream Players, and accordingly Gas Sales Agreements.

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    Dr. Riverson Oppong is happily married with 4 beautiful children.

    Biography

    Riverson Oppong Signing.jpg

  • Prior to joining Ghana National Gas Company in 2020, Dr. Oppong had worked on several oil and gas fields and projects, including North Busachi Fields in Kazakhstan, Independence Field in Cote d’Ivoire, Djata Fields in Ghana, and West Quarna2 Gas Field in Iraq. He also consulted on LNG Projects as a Project Economist.

    Work Experience

    Riverson Oppong at a Gas Plant.jpeg

  • He has lectured at several universities across Europe and Africa and has served as a conference panellist at numerous international conferences over the past seven years.

     

    His immense contribution to international conferences cannot be overlooked as he has made presentations under

    • ATCE 2016, UAE;

    • IPTC 2016, Thailand;

    • OTC 2016, Canada;

    • WPC 2017, Turkey;

    • PC.LCC 2018, 2021 & 2022, Ghana;

    • EMW 2018 and 2019, Poland;

    • AOG 2019, South Africa;

    • WPC-YP Summit 2019, Russia;

    • ASEC 2020, Croatia;

    • SAIPEC 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025, Nigeria;

    • GES 2022, Canada;

    • NAICE YPW 2022, Nigeria;

    • GH-BICE 2022, Ghana;

    • WGC 2022, South Korea;

    • GhipCon 2022, Ghana;

    • ALNGW 2023, Tanzania;

    • NIEC 2023, Namibia;

    • NAICE 2023, Nigeria;

    • WPC 2023, Canada;

    • ATCE 2024, USA;

    • FEC 2024,

    • Ghana;

    • NAICE 2024, Nigeria;

    • AEW 2024, South Africa, among others.

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    Dr. Riverson has published numerous papers and articles. He is also the author of three books. As of June 2022, Dr. Oppong had over 500 citations in articles, theses, and books.    

    Lectures, Articles and Publications

    Riverson Oppong Teaching.jpeg

  • It is worth mentioning that Riverson has won several international awards, medals, and recognitions: The most recent being the recognition by “Gurus and Prospects” Magazine – GAP, as one of the “TOP 10 Energy Thought Leaders in Africa and Diaspora”; and his induction into the SPE International Century Club as a lifetime Society member. Other awards in previous years include: 2024 SPE International Century Club Award; 2024 Osagyefo Leadership Award; 2023 SPE Regional Management Award, 2022 “Rising Star” – Ghana Energy Awards; 2022 SPE Regional Distinguished Service Award; 2020 SPE Regional Young Member Outstanding Service

    Award; and 2020 Presidential Millennium Excellence Award, Oil and Gas – Youth Category.  Dr. Oppong won the best PhD. Research (Globally) in 2016 in Poland at the East Meets West SPE  Conference.

    Awards, Medals, and Recognition

    Riverson Oppong Receiving an Award.jpeg

  • I am an active member of various professional organizations and hold leadership roles within them. Some of my affiliations include:

    1. Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE): I am the current Section Director of SPE Ghana and have served in various capacities prior, including as the Young Professionals Chair for the African region and as a member of the Regional Committee.

    2. Energy Institute (EI): I am a member of the EI and have contributed to their publications and events.

    3. International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE): I am a member of IAEE and have participated in their conferences and workshops.

    4. Institute of Project Management Professionals (IPMP): I am a certified member of IPMP and have served as a mentor for aspiring project management professionals.

    5. Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE): I am a registered member of GhIE and actively contribute to their programs and initiatives.

    In addition to my professional affiliations, I have also held leadership positions within these organizations, including serving as the Chair of the Young Professionals Committee in the SPE African region and as a member of the organizing committee for the IAEE annual conference.

    Professional Affiliations and Leadership Roles

    Riverson Oppong Lecturing.jpeg

  • I believe in giving back to the community and have been actively involved in various community engagement and outreach programs. Some of my contributions include:

    1. Mentorship Programs: I have mentored and provided guidance to young professionals and students aspiring to pursue careers in the energy industry. This includes offering career advice, sharing industry insights, and providing networking opportunities.

    2. Educational Workshops: I have organized and participated in educational workshops aimed at educating local communities about the oil and gas industry, its benefits, and its impact on the economy.

    3. Sustainability Initiatives: I have been involved in sustainability initiatives, promoting environmentally responsible practices in the oil and gas sector. This includes advocating for the adoption of clean energy technologies and supporting renewable energy projects.

    4. Scholarships and Sponsorships: I have contributed to scholarships and sponsorships for students pursuing studies in energy-related fields, enabling them to access quality education and develop their skills.

    By actively engaging with the community, I strive to create awareness, promote knowledge-sharing, and contribute to the sustainable development of the energy sector.

    Community Engagement and Outreach

    Riverson Oppong Volunteering.jpg

    • Building Skills for Africa’s Green Hydrogen Economy: Opportunities, Developments, and Challenges
      (2nd Pan-African Green Hydrogen Skills Conference 2025)

    • Emerging Business Models within the Downstream Landscape
      (Presented at the 2025 OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week Lagos, Nigeria; 2025)

    • The Road to Universal Access to LPG and Clean Cooking in Africa by 2030  
      (African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA) LPG Forum 2025, Zambia)

    • The Role of Natural Gas in Achieving Energy Sustainability in Ghana
      (Presented at the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum 2025)

    • CNG: A Lower-Carbon Energy to Grow Africa’s Communities
      (Discussed at Africa Energy Week, Cape Town South Africa; 2025)

    • Forging the Path for a Hydrogen Economy: Shifting from Planning to Meeting Global Market Demands 
      (Discussed at Africa Energy Week, Cape Town South Africa; 2025)

    • Leveraging Technology to Optimize Inventory, Logistics, and Transportation  
      [Discussed at the 48th Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE) Lagos, Nigeria; 2025]

    • The Power Hour: Potential local content roadmap for the year ahead, adapting to Africa’s rapidly evolving energy industry
      (Discussed at the Sub Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC), Lagos, Nigeria; 2025)

    • Oil and Gas as a Driver for Regional and National Economic Growth 
      (Discussed at the 9th Uganda International Oil and Gas Summit, Kampala, Uganda; 2024)   

    • Achieving African Energy Security: The Importance of Collaboration Across the Upstream, Midstream and Downstream Sectors 
      (Discussed at Africa Energy Week, Cape Town, South Africa; 2024)  

    • Just Energy Transition and the Role of Cleaner Fuels 
      (Discussed at Africa Energy Week, Cape Town South Africa; 2024)   

    • The Petroleum Downstream: Building a Future for Growth, Efficiency, and Sustainability   
      (Presented at the 2024 Ghana International Petroleum Conference, Accra 2024)   

    • Fueling the Future: Integration of EV Charging Infrastructure in Current Energy Systems   
      (Addressed and discussed at the 2024 ERA Mobility Conference, Accra Ghana 2024)   

    • "Igniting the Future: Driving Sustainability in Africa’s Energy  Landscape through Gas Technology and Innovation."   
      (Addressed and discussed at the 2024 Africa Gas Innovation Summit, Abuja, Nigeria 2024)   

    • Market Trends and Economic Outlook in the Downstream and Midstream  Sector: Roles and Opportunities for the Young Professional   
      (Addressed and discussed at the 2024 SPE NAICE, Nigeria, Lagos 2024)   

    • Innovation, Research and Development in Africa’s Energy Systems    
      (Addressed and discussed at the 2024 Future of Energy Conference, Accra, Ghana, August 2024)   

    • Namibia’s Role in Global Oil and Gas Markets   
      (Addressed and discussed at the 2024 Namibian Oil and Gas Conference, Windhoek, Namibia 2024)   

    • How to Attract and Develop Human Capital While Creating and   Enabling Environment for Young People to Join Your Business
      (Presented at the 2024 Namibian Oil and Gas Conference, Windhoek, Namibia 2024)   

    • Resource Abundance, Sustainable Choices and Innovation: Shaping Africa’s Energy Landscape   
      (Addressed and discussed at the 2023 Future of Energy Conference, Accra, Ghana, October 2023)   

    • CO2 Capturing and Utilization: The Application of CO2 Artificial   Tree for a Net Zero Effect   
      (Presented under the World Petroleum Congress, Canada, September 2023)   

    • Addressing Energy Availability, Accessibility and Affordability Amidst   Energy Transition in Africa   
      (Published in OnePetro (SPE - NAICE, Nigeria); August 2023)   

    • Navigating the Energy Transition Challenges and Opportunities for Young Professionals    
      (Presented and Discussed at the 2023 SPE Wari YP Symposium, Virtual, May, 2023)   

    • The State & Future of the Power Sector: Pathways towards Energy   Security   
      (Presented and Discussed under the Namibia International Energy Conference, Windhoek, April, 2023)   

    • AfCFTA at Five: Challenges and Opportunities    
      (Presented under the 7th Sub Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Lagos, February 2023)   

    • African Gas Commercialisation: Ghana Gas’ perspective.   
      (Presented under the 7th Sub Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Lagos, February 2023)   

    • Upstream Fiscal Regime Optimization: Lessons for Nascent Oil and Gas Developed Countries   
      (Presented at APLA Workshop, Maputo, December 2022)    

    • Energy Cost & Crises: An African Outlook   
      (Presented at African Hydrogen Gas Economy Conference, Cape Town, December 2022)   

    • Opportunities Post-Emergence from the First Energy Crisis.    
      (Discussed under Ghana Oil & Power Conference (GOPC), Paris, November 2022)    

    • Developing Natural Gas Market to Sustain Local Content Development  
      (Presented at 6th Local Content Conference and Exhibition, Takoradi, November 2022)   

    • Ghana’s Energy Transition Plan   
      (Presented on behalf of Ghana’s Energy Transition Technical Committee at NPA GhiCon, Accra, September 2022)   

    • Energy Transition and the Future of Africa’s Petroleum Downstream: Prospects, Challenges, and the Wayforward   
      (Discussed under NPA GhiCon, Accra, September 2022)   

    • The Evolving Energy Mix in Africa: Prospects, Pathways and  Opportunities for Young Profesionals    
      (Discussed at SPE NAICE YP Workshop, Lagos, August 2022)   

    • Economic Performance Review of Ghana’s Jubilee Field: 2011-2021    
      (Published in OnePetro (SPE - NAICE, Nigeria); August 2022)   

    • Balancing the Challenges of Energy Poverty & Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa”   
      (West Africa Well Engineering Forum, WAWEF, Feb 2022)   

    • Harnessing & Investing in Natural Gas: Opportunities & Strategies   
      (Presented under the 2nd Namibia International Energy Conference, Lagos, April, 2022)   

    • The Role and Position of Gas in the Net Zero Carbon Strategy For 2050 in Sub Saharan Africa   
      (Presented under the 6th Sub Saharan Africa International   

    • Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Lagos, February 2022)  Showcasing Africa’s Local Content Progress, Challenges and Future Development Strategies: Ghana Gas’ perspective.   
      (Presented under the 6th Sub Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Lagos, February 2022)   

    • A Blast From The Past And Foresight For The Future; Ghana’s   Electricity Outlook To 2030    
      (Published with Global Energy Insight, 2022)   

    • Optimising Local Content & Capacity Building in the era of Energy Transition   
      (Discussed under the 5th Petroleum Commission Local Content Conference, Accra, 2021)   

    • Harnessing Energy Security in Ghana: The Role of Gas   
      (Published in Gas Bulletin, Vol 7, October 2021)   

    • Balancing the Challenges of Energy Poverty & Climate Change   
      (Discussed under SPE International Virtual Workshop, 2021)   

    • Commercial Issues in the Downstream Gas Sector 
      (presented at 7th Ghana Gas Forum, Accra, 2021)   

    • Accelerating Africa’s Participation in the Economics of the Energy Transition through AfCTA.    
      (Discussed under the 7th Africa Oil Governance Summit, Accra, 2021)   

    • Assessing Investment In Ghana’s Upstream Oil And Gas Industry: The Risk And Returns   
      (Published in OnePetro (SPE - NAICE, Nigeria); September 2021)

    • Impact of The Petroleum (Local Content And Local Participation) Regulation 2013 (Li 2204) On Local Skills Development In Ghana’s Upstream Oil & Gas Sector  
      (Published in OnePetro (SPE - NAICE, Nigeria); September 2021)   

    • An Assessment of Opportunities and Challenges of Natural Gas Utilization in Ghana
      (Published in OnePetro (SPE - NAICE, Nigeria); September 2021)   

    • An Assessment of Petroleum Price Regulations on the Financial Performance of Oil Marketing Companies in Ghana: A Case Study of Star Oil

    • (Published in Offshore Africa Journal, vol 11, issue 1, 2021)   

    • Harnessing Ghana’s Gas-To-Power Opportunities: Impact Assessment of Natural Gas Supply on Ghana’s Electricity Generation
      (Published in Offshore Africa Journal, vol 10, issue 9, 2020)   

    • Assessment of Natural Gas Infrastructure Development in Ghana    
      (Published in OnePetro (SPE - NAICE, Nigeria); September 2020)   

    • Fueling Economic Growth: Corporate Governance Practice in   Ghana’s Oil and Gas Companies   
      (Published in Offshore Africa Journal, vol 9, issue 8, 2019)   

    • Local Content Impact on Ghana’s Oil and Gas Economy: Global Perspective   
      (Published in Offshore Africa Journal, vol 9, issue 1, 2019)   

    • The Expected Paradigm: The Future Energy Mix  
      (Presented and published under the 6th edition of World Petroleum Council Future Leaders Forum in St. Petersburg, 2019)   

    • The Impact of Digitization on the Oil and Gas Industry   
      (Presented under the 10th SPE – EMW Congress, Krakow, Poland, 2019)   

    • Local Content Impact on Ghana’s Oil and Gas Economy: Global Perspective   
      (Presented under the 3rd Petroleum Commission Local Content Conference, Takoradi, 2018)   

    • The Role of Disruptive Technologies in Businesses and Industries           
      (Published in GhanaWeb Journal, 26th Sept, 2018)   

    • How will New technologies Transform the Industry and Society  and How that Influence Oil and Gas   
      (Presented under the 3rd WPC Tomorrow leaders Symposium in Belgrade, 2018)   

    • A wake-up call for Ghana
      (Published in GhanaWeb Journal, 9th Aug, 2018)   

    • Future of the Oil and Gas Industry in Low-carbon Energy
      (Discussed at ASEC-SPE Congress in   Zagreb, 2018)   

    • How will Cutting-edge, Disruptive Technologies, Renewable Energy, and Demand for Gas as a Cleaner Fuel Impact the Oil and Gas Industry in the Short, Mid- and Long Term.   
      (Discussed under SPE Workshop – Ghana Future Leaders in Accra, 2018)   

    • The Expected Paradigm Shift in the Oil and Gas industry; Big Data and Automation   
      (Presented under the 9th edition of EMW-SPE Congress in Krakow, 2018)   

    • Will fossil fuels be the main energy source in decades?              
      (Published in Global Energy Insight Journal, 2017)   

    • Optimization of Ghana’s Oil and Gas Fiscal Regime: an analysis based on Norway, Nigeria and Angola   
      (Presented under the 17 SPE Petroleum Economist Workshop, Dubai, 2017)   

    • Socio-Economic Impact of Gas Condensate Well Spacing Problems Using Genetic Algorithms – Case Study from Northern America   
      (Presented under 22nd World Petroleum Congress, Turkey, 2017) 
   

    • Beyond Growing Energy Demand – Africa’s SocioEconomic and Challenges   
      (Presented under 22nd World Petroleum Congress, Turkey, 2017)   

    • Statistical Uncertainty Analysis and Design Optimization of CO2 Trapping Mechanisms in Saline Aquifers   
      (Published in OnePetro (SPE-IPTC, Thailand); November 2016)   

    • Technical and Legislative Risk Associated with Arctic Development (Case study – Russia and Norway)   
      (Published in OnePetro (SPE - ATC, Canada); October 2016)   

    • Upsurge in Ghana’s Oil and Gas Industry – the Publics’ Expectation
      (Published in Offshore Ghana Journal, vol 4,           issue 1, 2016)   

    • Optimisation of Hydraulic Fracture Spacing for Gas-Condensate Reservoirs.
      (Published in OnePetro (SPE – RPTC, Russia); October 2016)   

    • Mismanagement of Oil & Gas Rents in “Oil & Gas Rich Countries” -  Lessons for Ghana’s Nascent Industry (Case Study - Norway, Nigeria and Angola)   

    • (Published in OnePetro (SPE - ATCE, Dubai); September 2016)   

    • Design of Waterflooding in Gas-Condensate Wells
      (Published in SPE TIMES, May 2016)   

    • Strategies in Addressing Obsolescence on the Subsea Control Systems  for Deep Offshore Field Developments   
      (Published in YoungPetro Journal, April 2016)   

    • Optimization of The Fiscal Regime and Petroleum Agreements in Ghana - Who Gets What and Why   
      (Presented under SNO- Gubkin University, 2016)   

    • Transforming Ghana’s “Oil Fever” into Economic Growth: Key Challenges and Planning Towards the Boom   
      (Presented under SPE-EMW in Krakow, Poland, 2016)   

    • Preventing the “Oil Resource Curse” in Ghana: Lessons from  Norway and Nigeria.   
      (Presented at SPE ASEC in Zagreb, Croatia, 2016)   

    • Global Energy Outlook on Oil Prices; Short, Mid and Long Term    
      (Published in Offshore Ghana Journal, vol 1, issue 1, 2016)   

    • Beyond the Jubilee field: The Biggest Test for Ghana’s Economy.  
      (Published in Offshore Ghana Journal, vol 1, issue 1, 2016)   

    • Strategies in Addressing Obsolescence on the Subsea Control Systems for Deep Offshore Field Developments   
      (Abstract Published and Presented at OGH –SPE Conference in Moscow, 2014)   

    • Arctic in Global Perspective – Resources   
      (Abstract Published and Presented at HND Conference in Bodo, Norway,  2014)   

    • Analysis of collection and transportation of products from offshore “Jubilee Fields”
      (Abstract Published and Presented at FPE-SPE Conference in Beijing, 2014)   

    • Justification of Development plan for the “TEN” Offshore Field in Ghana, West Africa.   
      (Abstract Published and Presented at EMW-SPE Congress in Krakow, 2014)   

    • Selecting the Right Field Development Plan for Global Deepwater  Developments
      (Abstract Published and Presented at OGH-SPE               Conference in Moscow, 2013)   

    • Essentials of Extended Reach Drilling, And Case Studies   
      (Abstract Published and Presented at FL-SPE Conference in Kazakhstan, 2013)   

    Technical Presentations, Publications, and Conferences

    Riverson Oppong Technical Presentation.jpg

About Me

I have garnered immense professional experience in the oil and gas industry, with a strong academic background and extensive expertise in energy economics, risk management, and project economics. Throughout my career, I have contributed to the industry through my work in commercial management, consulting, lecturing, and research. I have also been recognized for my contributions through awards and accolades. Additionally, I am actively involved in professional organizations, community engagement, and outreach programs, aiming to positively impact the energy sector, the younger generation, and the world community at large.

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