There is plenty of opportunity for increased private sector involvement in Chad's economy. In the near term the oil sector holds the greatest promise. By the year 2001, a consortium, led by Exxon in partnership with Shell and Elf, plans to have oil flowing from Chad's Doba Basin through a pipeline running 1000 km across Cameroon to the Port of Kribi on the Atlantic coast. The three oil fields of Bolobo, Miandoum and Kome are expected to produce an estimated 1 billion barrels over a 30 year period. There is a potential for considerable growth in the mining sector.
Primary results are encouraging.
The government is also interested in beginning a systematic geological survey of the country, and in compiling an inventory of mineral resources. The country could possibly have large deposits of precious and industrial metals. It is also possible that Chad has undiscovered mineral deposits. Base metals, copper, silver, and zinc have been discovered but are uneconomic to exploit. There is excellent potential for the discovery of other metals such as tin, tungsten, iron ore, bauxite and other minor metals.