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Beyond the call of duty?

Many of the IOCs active in Equatorial Guinea have active programs of capacity building at a number of levels, which go beyond what is required by either the Hydrocarbons Law or their contractual agreements with the Equatoguinean government.

For example, the oil company Marathon employs 65% of its staff locally, 70% including contractors, although these ratios drop off significantly moving up the management ladder.

Arguably outside the strict remit of a "local content" program, in 2003, Marathon commenced a $13 million public private partnership malaria control campaign with the government which eliminated some 95% of disease carrying mosquitoes in Equatorial Guinea, and has lead to a 44% reduction in infected children. Marathon says the campaign employed some 200 Equatoguineans, and improved capacity through reduction of sick days.

In 2007, the company says it initiated a "five day business skills workshop" comprising strategic planning, negotiations and project management, which it developed initially for national staff but extended to include civil servants and national energy company employees. The program has been extended to 2007 using online material.

The company has also initiated a craft training program, which has thus far trained 500 potential workers. It says that those not directly employed “are available for local business.”

Marathon has also – with Bechtel – initiated a supplier forum, resulting in a “Yellow Pages” of potential suppliers in Equatorial Guinea which it says, is being continually expanded.