11 April 2012 (Monrovia): Dr Eva Thorne, a renowned expert on oil, politics and security, is visiting Liberia to deliver presentations to the President, Cabinet, leaders of the Senate and Judiciary and other important national stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges of developing Liberia’s oil sector.
Dr Thorne, formerly Meyer and Walter Jaffe Assistant Professor of Politics at Brandeis University in Massachusetts and now an independent consultant, was invited to Liberia by the National Oil Company (NOCAL) and is spending the week giving detailed briefings to national leaders, legislators and policy-makers on how to make the most of the sector for the benefit of the Liberian people and avoid the adverse effects that oil can cause to economic and political stability.

5 April 2012 (Monrovia): The Government of Liberia’s Hydrocarbon Technical Committee (HTC), led by NOCAL, has successfully completed a retreat to initiate landmark reforms of Liberia’s oil sector governance. The retreat, held in Buchanan between April 2 and 4, is the beginning of a bold and comprehensive reform program embarked on by the Government to address governance of oil and gas.
Over the coming days, and in line with its stated policy of complete transparency, NOCAL will be issuing further information about the important discussions that took place. NOCAL will also issue factual information governing various issues to address various inaccuracies which currently threaten to seriously undermine public understanding of this sensitive topic.

8 March 2012 (Monrovia): NOCAL welcomes the renewed engagement of the Legislature in the evolving governance of Liberia’s oil sector. The constructive engagement and cooperation of all parties and stakeholders is essential to the successful reform and management of Liberia’s potential hydro-carbon sector. 
The new management of NOCAL continues to remind the public of the following:
1. As the agency mandated by the Executive branch of the Government of Liberia to execute the country’s interests in the hydro-carbon sector, it is our solemn duty to protect Liberia’s oil assets and maximize the benefits for all Liberians. These resources belong to every Liberian, not a selected few, and we will denounce and resist any attempt to undermine that principle.

2. The new NOCAL will be 100% transparent, regardless of the pressures to do the contrary, along with public and civil society engagement.  We are confident that the public will see and understand that we are trying to make the best decisions in the interests of the country.

 
24 April 2012
 
Recent pledges by the Liberian Government to enhance transparency and the involvement of civil society in its oil sector represent are a welcome step forward, says Global Witness today.
 
International interest in Liberia’s oil sector has increased in recent months after the Australian oil company African Petroleum announced it had found commercial oil off of Liberia’s coast. Other oil concessions have been awarded to major companies such as Chevron and Anadarko Petroleum, while last week Canadian Overseas Petroleum announced that the Liberian Government had approved the entry of ExxonMobil to an offshore concession – Block 13.