1987 Oryx Energies
Oryx Energies’ story is entwined with that of its parent company, the Addax and Oryx Group (AOG), which originally developed the trading and downstream (storage and distribution) activities, before merging them to form Oryx Energies in 2013. We will nevertheless speak of Oryx Energies throughout for ease of reading. Oryx Energies thus began in 1987 in oil trading in West Africa.
1987 Oil trading
Oryx Energies starts out in oil trading in West Africa in December 1987.
1989 Downstream
Oryx Energies is quick to understand the importance of access to energy for Africa’s social and economic development. The acquisition in 1989 of Esso’s petroleum depot in Senegal is the first step towards supplying consumers and businesses directly with the products they need.
1989 First service stations
Oryx Energies acquires a majority stake in oil company Phoenix, in Nigeria, in 1989, as part of its commitment to taking products directly to end users in sub-Saharan Africa. It is the company’s first investment in service stations on the continent. Through the years, its network of service stations will expand and consolidate, before investments grow again from 2013.
1989 Bunkering
As part of its strategy to take products to end users, Oryx Energies launches Addax Bunkering Services in 1989, in order to supply ships and offshore platforms with the fuels, lubricants and associated services they need. Addax Bunkering Services will become a key player in the African bunkering market (becomes Oryx Bunkering Services in 2013).
1997 West Africa expansion
In 1997, Oryx Energies expands its downstream activities in West Africa, as it pursues its strategy of supporting development in the region. It begins the construction of an oil and gas terminal in Benin, with the objective of extending access to energy along the West African coast, including landlocked countries like Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The investment is hailed as the largest private investment in West Africa for a number of years. The terminal is inaugurated in 1999.
1997 (10 years)
After 10 years, Oryx Energies is active in trading and downstream in sub-Saharan Africa with the ambition to directly supply consumers and businesses across the region. It has developed its trading activities in Africa. It is also expanding its downstream activities in West Africa, as construction begins on an oil and gas terminal in Cotonou, Benin (completed in 1999). This will be its second terminal, after the acquisition of Esso’s petroleum depot in Senegal in 1989.
1999 East Africa
Oryx Energies invests for the first time in East Africa, when it acquires AGIP’s assets in Tanzania, including 75 service stations, a lubricants blending factory and 50% of TIPER, a former refinery that it will convert into oil storage. Like in West Africa, Oryx Energies aims to contribute to development in the region by facilitating access to energy, including for landlocked countries in the Great Lakes region and Zambia.
1999 Oil trading, Tradex
In order to expand its oil supply to non-producing countries, Oryx Energies takes a 30% stake in oil trading and export company, Tradex, in Cameroon, with the aim of supplying countries in the CEMAC region (Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa).
1999 LPG
Oryx Energies enters the LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) market in 1999, when it inaugurates its oil and gas terminal in Benin (started in 1997) and opens an LPG terminal in Tanzania the following the year. The strategy is clear: to promote LPG as a healthier, safer and more ecological energy alternative to firewood, charcoal and kerosene in sub-Saharan Africa.
1999 Lubricants
Through its acquisition of AGIP Tanzania, Oryx Energies is able to enter the lubricants market thanks to the existing blending plant. The blends are designed in Geneva, adapted to Africa’s conditions, and produced close to the market for consumers and business. Oryx Energies opens a second blending plant in 2011 in Togo to serve West Africa.
1999 Service station expansion
Through the acquisition of AGIP Tanzania, including 75 service stations, Oryx Energies expands its network of stations in Africa.
2000 East Africa expansion
Downstream activities develop further in East Africa with the inauguration of a gas terminal in Tanzania and the conversion of the TIPER refinery into a petroleum storage depot for imports. « Oryx Tanzania » is already a key player in the Tanzanian market, as well as supplying other countries in the region (Burundi, eastern Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia).
2001 West Africa expansion
After Senegal (1989) and Benin (1997), Oryx Energies establishes a presence in Côte d’Ivoire in order to develop LPG and service stations in the country.
2001 East African developments
In the 2000s, Oryx Energies continues to develop its presence in East Africa, opening subsidiaries in South Africa, Kenya and Zambia.
2001 “MiniGaz Oryx”
Oryx Energies confirms its strategic shift towards the promotion of LPG with the successful launch in Benin of its “MiniGaz Oryx” concept (a 6kg LPG cylinder with a gas burner and pan support) at an affordable price for low-income families. The concept is a great success and the “Oryx” brand becomes no.1 in the LPG market in Benin – a position that it still holds today. The concept will achieve a similar success in other countries in the region.
2001 Bunkering
Created in 1989, Addax Bunkering Services (ABS) has developed its geographic footprint to become one of the leading suppliers of bunkering services in Africa (supplying ships and offshore platforms). Oryx Energies downstream storage terminals in Senegal, Benin and Tanzania, are useful bases from which to provide reliable supplies. ABS provides its customers with a 24-hour international bunker fuels trading service.
2002 The “Oryx” brand
From 2002, “Oryx” becomes the umbrella brand for all downstream activities (storage and distribution), while the “Addax” brand continues to accompany trading activities. The 2 sectors are merged in 2013 to become Oryx Energies.
2002 “Oryx” lubricants in West Africa
After the acquisition of its lubricants blending plant in Tanzania in 1999, Oryx Energies launches its range of lubricants in West Africa.
2003 West African developments
In the 2000s, Oryx Energies invests heavily in the development of its downstream activities to supply the necessary fuels, lubricants and LPG to West African countries. A service station network in Côte d’Ivoire, the launch of activities in Mauritania (fuels and “Oryx” lubricants), in Sierra Leone (joint venture managing strategic storage) and in Burkina Faso (over 300 LPG sales outlets).
2004 Strategic storage
The Kissy oil terminal in Sierra Leone is reopened, completely renovated, in 2004, making Oryx Energies a key player on the west coast of Africa. This is the company’s 5th strategic terminal after Senegal (1989), Benin (1999) and 2 in Tanzania (2000). The approach enables Oryx Energies to ensure a reliable supply of products to end users on a continent more used to supply disruptions, and facilitates the essential access to energy for landlocked countries.
2004 Leader in oil trading
In 2004, the trading arm, under the “Addax” brand, is the leading independent oil trader in Africa. It also exports production from its parent company’s upstream company, Addax Petroleum, towards refineries in West Africa, Europe, North America and Asia. It exports oil from Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire, and imports oil to respond to the needs of non-producing African nations. The same year, the trading arm establishes a presence in Singapore and in Pekin, diversifying its sources of supply.
2004 LPG developments
Oryx Energies has successfully achieved its strategic shift towards LPG, with activities in Burkina Faso, where it launches the «MiniGaz Oryx » concept (successfully developed in Benin), together with an information campaign on the advantages for health and the environment. In Benin, the "MaxiGaz Oryx" is launched (a 12kg cylinder with a 3-ring hotplate and connection accessories), aimed at the middle classes who cannot yet afford a full kitchen stove with an oven. In 2005, Oryx Energies launches LPG activities in Côte d’Ivoire, after acquiring Shell’s assets in the country. This enables it to commercialise LPG for consumers and businesses both locally and in the region. In Tanzania, it is a key player in the LPG market.
2007 (20 years)
After 20 years, Oryx Energies is considered a key player in the energy market in sub-Saharan Africa. It has developed by acquisition, partnerships and direct investments. The “Addax” and “Oryx” brands represent respectively its trading and downstream activities. Oryx Energies has approximately 500 employees and a presence in a dozen countries in the region; 6 strategic storage terminals from the west to the east of the continent; a network of around 100 service stations; a strong position in LPG; and a growing position in lubricants. It has developed a solid expertise in the supply of consumers and businesses, including the mining sector, with the advantage of a reliable supply thanks to its own network of storage terminals.
2007 Storage in Nigeria
Oryx Energies acquires a terminal in the Calabar Free Trade Zone in Nigeria in 2007. The terminal supplies oil products to the local market and for export, while Oryx Energies’ bunkering firm, Addax Bunkering Services, provides services to ships. This is the company’s 6th strategic storage terminal in sub-Saharan Africa: Senegal, Benin, 2 in Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
2011 Lubricants West Africa
With a continued focus on facilitating access to energies in Africa, Oryx Energies invests in a second, ultra-modern lubricants blending plant, this time in Togo, to serve the needs of West Africa. Its initial factory in Tanzania, acquired in 1999, continues to supply East Africa.
2013 Expansion East Africa
After establishing a presence in Uganda in 2012 through the acquisition of 10 Engen service stations, Oryx Energies acquires BP’s LPG distribution activities in South Africa. This gives it a leading position in South Africa’s LPG market and reinforces its position as a key LPG player in southern Africa. The initiative is part of the strategy developed since 1999 to promote LPG as a healthier, cleaner and more ecological energy alternative to firewood, charcoal and kerosene, and to promote LPG as a more efficient and environmental energy for industry.
2013 Service stations
Oryx Energies resumes its investments in service stations in 2013, opening stations in a dozen countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia), to reach a total of 181 service stations by the end of 2017.
2013 Birth of Oryx Energies
Oryx Energies is born when parent company AOG merges its trading and downstream activities in 2013. Oryx Energies is an integrated platform that masters the value chain from the acquisition of products on the open market (trading) to their storage and distribution to end-users in sub-Saharan Africa. It is the consecration of the strategy of complementarity pursued for many years. Significant investments are planned and executed over the following 5 years, with the objective of reinforcing its position as one of the most important private players in the energy sector in the region (new terminal in Las Palmas, more service stations, more LPG cylinders and storage facilities, and its first-ever panafrican advertising campaign).
2014 New terminal
In 2014, Oryx Energies inaugurates its ultra-modern oil terminal in the port of Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands (Spain). It is strategically placed on the main commercial route between Europe, West Africa and the Americas. The terminal offers storage facilities to third parties. It is also useful for its trading arm’s activities, the bunkering services undertaken by Oryx Bunkering Services, and it offers a faster and more reliable supply route towards West Africa. This is Oryx Energies’ 7th strategic storage terminal: Senegal, Benin, 2 in Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Spain (Las Palmas).
2016 Triple certification
As the result of a project started in 2012, Oryx Energies is awarded a multi-site triple certification in 2016: Quality (ISO 9001: 2015), Environment (ISO 14001: 2015), Health and Safety (OHSAS 14001: 2007). It thus becomes the first oil products company to receive a multi-site triple certification for all its activities. The certification applies to the company’s activities in both trading and downstream, conducted at its headquarters in Geneva and at the main operational sites of its seven most important subsidiaries (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, South Africa, Spain/Las Palmas, Tanzania and Togo).
2017 (30 years)
Oryx Energies has come a long way in 30 years, driven by its conviction that access to energy is essential to development in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, it is present in over 20 countries in the region; employs more than 1,400 people; manages seven strategic oil and gas terminals in order to ensure the quality and reliability of supply; has 2 lubricants blending plants respectively serving East and West Africa; manages a network of over 180 service stations and hundreds of LPG distributors, with a reliable supply thanks to its investments in LPG storage spheres, filling stations and millions of cylinders. Oryx Energies is No.1 in LPG in several countries and recognised as a key player in the energy sector in sub-Saharan Africa. We take this opportunity to thank our staff, our clients, partners and other stakeholders, who have been essential to our success.
