Secrets of the Oil Industry (Big Oil in Africa Documentary) | Real Stories

A real-life Treasure of the Sierra Madre about ambitious people who uncover oil in one of the poorest places on earth. An international suspense story with extraordinary access.
Executive produced by Brad Pitt, Big Men follows what happens when a Texas oil firm makes an enormous discovery off West Africa’s coast. Gaining unprecedented access to reveal big business in oil, it took six years to make and takes viewers around the world, from inside Wall Street boardrooms to the jungle camp of a Nigerian militant group.
Director Rachel Boynton has an incredible ability to go behind closed doors; her access is critical when Kosmos Energy makes its enormous discovery. Christened the Jubilee Field, this massive undersea deposit had the potential to return a staggering $2.2 billion to investors.
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[@monteeinsteincristo6527]

I’m Ghanaian . And I commend and applaud those behind this documentary/research. In my opinion, an interesting piece to watch! Very interesting.

[@dottega]

As a Nigerian, this is a nightmare. Your country got the beggars sandals dealt to them in a world full of great importance.

[@blacktower7697]

Ashanti King??? They brought 6 bottles of Alcohol...Yes, they have red Hennessy (not real cognac, by the way) and they donated $10,000 to our education fund. WTF???????????????? So you'll still be selling out for cheap huh? This is why black people get disrespected across the world. I'm sick of African leaders. F@#ing Scum!!!!!!!!! Alcohol and money; sick.

[@SHARON.I]

​@@dottegadid you mean slippers?

[@SHARON.I]

​@@dottegaso you didn't get a positive feeling from this? I dont.

[@jeffreywenger281]

As someone who has worked in local government in New Jersey, under several successive administrations, it was always a cringe moment to see if the incoming administration would honor the deals of the previous administration, deals people like myself had negotiated on behalf of the city, and who would probably be gone were it not for civil service protections that keep us around so that professionalization of government is possible. Being a negotiator is a fool's errand. Everyone who wasn't there will say they could have gotten a better deal. But each administration, in their own way and at their own pace, eventually learns that no one will take them seriously if they do not honor the deals already in place. No matter how good the politics look to renegotiate the city's deals, eventually, the politics aren't good when you can't make any deals. Learning this lesson can take years, and the city will always pay a high price until this lesson is learned. Thank you for your film, I see the same is true at the national level. Your movie also makes clear that when business and government negotiate, they should both take the time to understand that they are coming to the table on behalf of the public (as neighbors, voters, shareholders, etc). If a good faith effort at securing real public benefits is not part of the deal, if the public isn't given a seat at the table, it stands a high chance of getting taken apart by the next people in power.

[@koltoncrane3099]

I think a lot of time what’s good for the public doesn’t matter or isn’t considered when the Us military overthrows a nation. But I agree with ya said. When people get burned and deals are canceled people learn and then future deals are harmed. Makes me think maybe that’s why ya got Biden and mitt Romney having their sons with millionaire jobs in Ukraine. They’re sons are being paid to ensure political deals remain. The U.S. overthrew Lybia and iraq to force them to sell oil in dollars rather then gold. But stealing Russias money is going to make countries dedollarize which hurts the US for decades plus. It’s huge. I think Dubai or uae did a 27 year deal for gas with China. If that’s in yuan and more deals aren’t done in dollars percentage wise that’ll hurt the dollar leading to more inflation coming back to the U.S. as foreign demand for dollars shrinks. That won’t happen if the U.S. becomes responsible spending wise but accountability won’t happen. I still laugh at how Martha Stewart went to prison but then it’s fine if you’re a politician to do insider trading. You’re right it’s good they have civil service protections so not everyone is fired. But it’s worse then that. I read that if democrats get 51 seats in the senate then they get 2/3 of the staff salary and vice viscera for republicans if they win. The entire government isn’t very discriminatory. It’s like the logical thing to do is give staff salary per politician elected not divvy it up based on what political party wins but by per seat. I remember working In Delaware one summer. Met a lot of people from New Jersey in new subdivisions saying they were fleeing high property taxes. I think New Jersey and Chicago I read had a hard or bad ratings on their state or muni bonds. Hopefully they got better. Could you imagine the political uproar if say Chicago pension fund had to be bailed out by the federal reserve? If that happened that’s opening the door to universal basic income. It’d probably work like professor kelton says as she advices Bernie sanders but she believes politicians can be accountable and make hard decisions and cut spending. The last real strong president we had that made really hard decisions was jimmy carter. He told volker to kill inflation and it cost jimmy carter the next election. No one will do that today.

[@hdj81Vlimited]

yep, but these greedy african leaders wanted to change the deals after, and even wanted to buy out the persons who can pull the oil out the ground.........thinking they can do it. They can not even collect there gold ...........

[@cazpurr4128]

Sad to see how greed can do this , good to see the people fight back

[@FiboFractal.]

A great documentary. Thank you Rachel Boynton for producing such a great doc. I felt bad for George Owusu thinking he lost out but at the end, we're told he made $100 million. Great result. He deserves it.

[@jimbrown4456]

No one deserves $100 million when the vast majority have nothing.

[@silvesteinrmartin]

@@jimbrown4456 he made it possible you communist fool

[@janedoe3915]

@@jimbrown4456 -especially off what should be owned by all citizens of that land. These companies should have to buy the natural resource from all citizens of that land, Ghana, in this case, whether it’s water, oil, precious metals, or any other natural resource. Alaskans get a dividend from the oil in Alaska. I’m sure it’s a lower amount than it should be but, at least, it’s something. It should be that way in every country (not by state bc everyone would move to the states w/oil or those rich in natural resources).

[@hdj81Vlimited]

@@jimbrown4456 he was already a rich man before.

[@bidav2114]

​@@janedoe3915 i wish you will say this if it were you in that position. He did his job and heavy-lifting and his country treats him like trash because of some greedy officials

[@tirandaz7612]

Someone, in a conversation about Africans in general, made a statement which almost got by me except for the high regard in which I held the person making the statement. He said that he could not understand why the world held such animosity toward Africans, who were the most docile people in the world. This video captures the truth of that statement than anything I have ever witnessed.

[@kiaora7214]

I'm with the militant creek guys on this one. And the Norway model sounded like the way to go.

[@somaghosh2960]

I got to know a lot about Oil and large oil business. Very good documentary. Thank you Real Stories.

[@resilientmboya6323]

Africa is land of the unimaginable resources but the biggest problem lies on how we attract private firms especially in the hands of greedy politicians!!!

[@g4be01estuar]

I don't think that's the issue ........America has attracted a lifestyle based on Dollars........that's what separates the U.S, people who have become a part of the govt.....

[@mduduzimagadlela5474]

This is amazing work.Well done and great on by everyone who contribute in the production documentary. I hope this is serves as a tool to inspire many on the issues of national wealth, sustainable business, and social justice

[@rawhide894]

A very nice documentary indeed and thank you. I sincerely wish prosperity for the people of Ghana.

[@samthexplorer9621]

Thanks for sharing, documenting the Ghana oil deal from both perspectives.

[@AkampaTikkk]

This is probably the best documentary I have watched

[@sbu116sbu2]

What a solid documentary, thank you.

[@ironknightgaming5706]

Went to sleep and woke up to this documentary I watched the whole thing and regret nothing. Now I have to be at work in 30 minutes.

[@matildamarmaduke1096]

Yep done that before wake up to pee at 3am and next thing I know it's day light SMH

[@forplay2706]

One of the best well-made docies

[@chinonsookechukwu221]

The discovery of oil was more of a course then a blessing to Nigeria. Right from the community it was first discovered the poverty there is beyond imagination Corruption greed and war. So sad.

[@johnmakayoto6063]

Hats off for the detailed documentary. Good leadership in Africa will help the continent realise its full potential.

[@hdj81Vlimited]

this is why africa is still a 3th world country, because its greedy leaders.......

[@kencylungu9138]

you can see where the interest is for the company, the company only cared about its return with no vision or plan on how it would help the locals, it's all about profit. kudos to the government for fighting so hard to get a better deal.

[@davlid100]

And what was this better deal 🤔?????

[@Tenacity101]

@@davlid100 🤣🤣😂😂

[@bidav2114]

​@@davlid100 same question I'm asking😂😂

[@Tracertme]

I agree reputation is everything and yet this entire documentary demonstrates the absolute failure of everyone Kosmos management showed you how not to run a business, and ultimately the weakness of their management, regardless of their claim, the Ghana government for not have facilitated a Norwegian economic model to set the entire nation up for long term prosperity.

[@lilseezy8123]

Damn by the looks of it Nigeria had more potential than some western countries but it all went down the drain because of the leaders

[@teknoaija1762]

that is the story in africa.low iq leaders...

[@agro-valleyfarm7217]

Leaders don't sell out their country-that's the work of politicians/hyenas

[@teknoaija1762]

@@agro-valleyfarm7217 technically they are still called leaders yet in africa they almost always are like you described.semantics really..

[@agro-valleyfarm7217]

@@teknoaija1762 It's NOT semantics but the reality-most of them are not leaders but MIS-LEADERS/hyenas. Afrika needs young people like this young student to salvage its future-KZbin: The Most Powerful And Highly Respected High School Prefect In Ghana? South Afrika under the ANC is a joke-apartheid is still alive and well there-KZbin:Gravitas | Orania: A 'whites-only' town in South Africa

[@teknoaija1762]

@@agro-valleyfarm7217 i get your point but saying that africa s problem isn t poor low iq leaders is totally false.you might not want to call them leaders since leader is in new american english something positive.adolf hitler was a democratically chosen leader of germany no matter what he did.der fuhrer you know.you are falling into a trap where your poor management of words and language causes you to have equally poor logical thoughts.i always say that if you can t speak properly,how can you think properly.

[@nicholasmokua5721]

An absolute eye opener.

[@alexjumba]

Great documentary, amazing work

[@mEnttall1rIDardeT]

2022 and jubilee is still producing well; a success that kosmos was not able to replicate however; this piece of work is impressive and timeless

[@spha325]

Interesting documentary and very informative

[@acajudi100]

I love your videos. I am 80 living in Queretaro, and so happy, that I am a giver to non-beggars to help themselves. I was raised never to beg, but to give. Karma never loses an address. We reap what we sow, and begging turns me off. Let go and let God always and be a giver and not a greedy taker always. R.I.P. It is not safe anywhere, for these are the evil demons last days.

[@matildamarmaduke1096]

I will ask once I don't beg I get informed and figure out how to do it alone it may not be right perfect or pretty but I bet it works for me What I hate is those who refuse you help and will throw away things you could use to make what u need And when u take it from their trash they call you names and tell others u took something you threw away

[@kristynnye1286]

James Corbett has a great documentary on Big Oil. It'll be hard to find for a lot of people.

[@papillonone1417]

Names, cultures and language may be different, yet greed is always ALWAYS the same!

[@jamespayne9918]

I Yeah w

[@Lifeisgoodbelieve1in3]

What you say is true

[@DT__1]

Money speaks One language 😉

[@begonebegone7825]

Greed is learned behavior

[@coldstartv1870]

Ain't that the truth

[@Lifeisgoodbelieve1in3]

Some countries are better left alone to live in the environment they've always lived in. When big business goes to other countries all that happens is greed pollution and destruction of the environment. Venezuela is a perfect example of that

[@matildamarmaduke1096]

America is also one

[@afrofantasylit]

22:07 A true evil laugh. it does not only happen in movies.

[@kiaora7214]

Yeah I heard that from the guy too, it was freaky!! 😨

[@egtaha]

I like how the nigerian folks are like "The whole world will hear about us in this something they call a documentary..." 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@abdallahalhaddad3463]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@ReeferMadness999]

powerful

[@matildamarmaduke1096]

But oil is not green

[@abdallahalhaddad3463]

@@matildamarmaduke1096 sure

[@theoansah705]

awesome....a very good documentary made here...have really learnt a lot

[@jockster5525]

Wow London looks good this time of year

[@skinscapetattoo]

That sentence says it all ‘the most important thing is to do right by the shareholders’

[@josephinesosingot-raisanen6743]

But the country should also do well by shareholders...its citizens

[@Stunna8711]

Nice documentary ✅

[@michaelamponsah9970]

Very insightful and revelling

[@LuckyMasutha]

A great documentary. Inspirational and motivational!

[@Mocha69A]

Inspirational how. Ghana got take for a ride. They made less than the outsiders by 1,556 million less they got robbed

[@crisvermondcreman2894]

A very clear documentary.

[@maxi5784]

amazing documentary.. imagine time an efforts being put in to get all that footages ….

[@cameronsienkiewicz6364]

Man that oil man’s evil smile at 22:10 , sent chills up my spine .. that man looks like he made a deal with the devil , has the devil in his soul constantly watching

[@nahum8855]

Facts! Before he even smiled I knew he was full of it. Dude is definitely head of corruption

[@user-ty4jw5xe6d]

Fantastic documentary.

[@ejbatu]

I wish you narrate the parts you did captions. I listen to your videos while working so it makes it difficult to read and work. Great documentary 👏 👍

[@Eisawithlove]

Same

[@ministryofyahushua3065]

Thanks for sharing.

[@oiaiofoster4775]

God Bless The People of Ghana 🙏🏿🙇🏿‍♀️❤

[@teknoaija1762]

which god whose god?yours?i bet they can eat that and build infra with your blessings.what a muppet you are.

[@bigfish8280]

Where is my 100 million dollars for watching this doc! I want my piece too!!!!!

[@hareshlachminarain9451]

I am Guyanese, I wish my fellow Guyanese can watch this documentary. Guyana is the latest black gold mecca.

[@acapulcoscebu449]

How it is for a local population. Hope the people are seeing the benifits

[@toniaedarioseetchie1424]

This is an apt documentary. Thanks to everybody that made this exposure possible to the world. With the Nigerian oil revenue model, oil companies are not needed in that country. The question then, why can't the governments' adopt the Norwegian model?

[@olivertwistbazuubwisa.]

its deliberate, the greed will not allow them to adopt the Norwegian model. greed greed greed.

[@musondag5436]

Very insightful documentary hopefully Zambia will put to good use of copper.

[@vinitoocups]

Follow the money

[@katherinecollins4685]

Very informative

[@BorntobeWild.]

The Norwegian model was the way to go.

[@joelsacks6760]

Masterpiece !!

[@arananation]

9:40 “what the white man said” 😂

[@kumi_na_tatut.v4226]

In my view Kosmos and EO were short-changed by the new government. This was pure business, ironically Ghana cannot pay their local and international debts as of December 2022.

[@abocas]

I hear this time and time again in the African countries that I have been to: "it is not only us." Like it's a valid excuse for not dealing with one of the very biggest curses of Africa .... I even heard : corruption is in our blood"!! I was totally flabbergasted....

[@teeteeme5752]

Corruption is not in the blood of everyone. I hate corruption to the core. If given the opportunity to lead, there will be a lot of lives I will end to bring a new revolution.

[@abocas]

@@teeteeme5752 that sounds rather drastic. How about cleaning up corruption instead 🥴

[@teeteeme5752]

@@abocas that’s not drastic. To be taken more serious, African men have to be serious and learn the hard way. When the head is corrupt the body and the feet are too. A lot of people need to be eliminated to start afresh. You all will be forced to wake up and take on roles and responsibilities well. If your job is to serve, serve well. If your job to to clean, clean well, if your job is to help, help well. This laid back approach, lazy customer services, denying people their rights, extorting money all has to stop. By time you make good example of some people, Nigerians will wake up.

[@nicolaukabedi8996]

Great Job, Documentário fantástico, adorei

[@davidanalyst671]

I wish they put more details into the negotiations and actual deals that were signed. They just characterize this deal as good or this deal as bad, and expect me to go along with it. The really screwed up part was when they crapped on Jim, and at the end he got his camera time, and it did him justice to kind of show his side of the story. The people it really should have crapped on was anadarko, for playing Ghana's games.

[@Startingover002]

' I want to give to my children more than I received.''(17: 39) What about our African children? Makes me so mad. Insightful documentary. Good job

[@sararichardson737]

If only the journalist was better served audio wise, can’t hear her questions well. However this is a compelling well told documentary. Thank you . This is award winning work.

[@dnorthern8797]

Wonder if Musselman should have kept that phone call between himself and George that night instead of sharing with those greedy board members at Kosmos.

[@espadad7256]

I won't even watch this I already know it's sad at how Africa has been robbed

[@Redmenace96]

The politician asked for education and health care. Have visited these parts of Africa, and if the govt. invested in roads, water delivery/waste treatment, and electricity distribution it would be a giant step for the people. Always amazed that they don't start with the simple things, which cost less, and have more chance of success.

[@matildamarmaduke1096]

Right but they we have clean green energy once again but it's not profitable on so many levels

[@mariaalmasi3374]

Thanks to you sharing

[@lecoqjeannot3358]

Excellent realization.

[@Diana623-69]

excellent ! the more I learn about greedy oil - the more I plan my use better: drive less buy less, (saves me $$) walk or bike near distances (exercise & fresh air), car-pool (more chatty fun then alone). My lit' steps toward leaving a smaller footprint of pollution into our environment while depositing less into corporate pockets & manipulations. Thank You for sharing truth via media toward "opening the eyes of the people"

[@DipayanPyne94]

You need to go through the works of Noam Chomsky next, I guess. Also, documentaries like Inside Job.

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Corsican (Translate Before to 1. Prima Use over time for: Before)?

[@maleselaandrews526]

Im glad the guy who called cosmo to come and explore walked away with $100 million

[@matildamarmaduke1096]

I agree with the dude with glasses we ain't rushing into it we will take our time cause once it's gone so are they Leaving ur land air and water polluted beyond life sustaining

[@mathieusarran7833]

Interesting to see that when you have oil underneath your piece of land you tend to think that the money is better in your pocket than in those of a government.

[@smithringtho8106]

Great Documentary. A really nice watch

[@dnorthern8797]

Did Brian just really brag @ finding oil? As opposed to 'oil' calling Musselman directly via a telephone book search? Effing eh.

[@angelophilippopoulos9678]

The Nigerian people militants had to go this far to get a return back for their people. These blood suckers in power need to get lost.

[@joschkahurst]

1:38:35 George Owusu loves his country he worked very hard to bring things together. I'm very happy for him I think he is a great guy.

[@bidav2114]

Yet his country treats him like trash because the ministers and officials wanted a big piece of the cake. Corrupt leaders have been the greatest disadvantage in the whole Africa. These leaders are greedy

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Maltese (Translate Co to 1. Co Use over time for: Co)?

[@paw45]

Those big steel rocking horses you see are called oil well pump jacks.

[@teknoaija1762]

really.i thought it was a kids playground rocker.(everything is big in texas they claim).

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Tatar (Translate Co to 1. Co. Use over time for: Co)?

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Scottish Gaelic (Translate Cannabis to 1. Cannabis Use over time for: Cannabis)?

[@TrojanFTQ]

Kosmos listed on Friday 13th. 😮

[@carlyleporter5388]

I caught a job in the field they have outlined back in '98. It must have been closer to the bank cause it was a jackup rig. I displaced the drill stem twice for DSTs, over displaced the well twice and blew the bushings out of the rotary both times. No one said a word, no one was hurt. If I'd been in the states they'd have run me off the first time.

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Samoan (Translate Co to 1. Co Use over time for: Co)?

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Galician (Translate Co to 1. Co Use over time for: Co)?

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Tajik (Translate Before to 1. Пеш Use over time for: Before)?

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Javanese (Translate Co to 1. Co Use over time for: Co)?

[@SHARON.I]

Around 15:54 the oil man from Texas can barely smile.

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Corsican (Translate Cannabis to 1. Cannabis Use over time for: Cannabis)?

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Cebuano (Translate Cannabis to 1. Cannabis Use over time for: Cannabis)?

[@marcusrussell8660]

This is not a unique problem. If the Nigerians and Ghana had any idea of their national wealth they should have developed it on their own. But they did not. So they gave lucrative contracts to others to develop it. Everyone is corrupt, the rulers of both countries kept most of the money that should have gone to infrastructure, schools, and medical centers. But it only went into the elites. The same happens in every country, certainly the U.S. I respect Norway for doing better than any other country. Excellent documentation of our corrupt system.

[@AlreadyShort]

Hennessy and Cosmos?? oh this is too funny KRAMER

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Macedonian (Translate Co to 1. Ко Use over time for: Co)?

[@Didmasela]

Kosmos Energy gave only 10,000 us dollars for education fund in that oil area? This was an insult because the profit they made is in billions of us dollars.

[@tiermacgirl]

That official who chuckled after the investigator said thank you and goodbye gave me the creeps. An empty vessel. And one attempting to take ownership of God.

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Norwegian (anslate Before to 1. Før Use over time for: Before)?

[@karatekid6026]

Owning a TV is like having your own RABBI right in your living room. 😂

[@marionwilson2521]

We cannot prevent every storm, or bad thing, and we cannot say we can. When God, and ourselves, keeps us humble, we truly understand that. 🙏...

[@musaabdul2683]

Is it an enactment or real story?

[@Ohno911]

It was said in the beginning the possibility of making billions of dollars and then they donate 10,000 dollars to the educational fund😮😊

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Swedish (Translate Cannabis to 1. Cannabis Use over time for: Cannabis)?

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Thai (Translate Co to 1. โค Use over time for: Co)?

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Thai (Translate Before to 1. ก่อน Use over time for: Before)?

[@latoiajenkins6971]

Was that Danish (Translate Cannabis to 1. Cannabis Use over time for: Cannabis)?

[@nwabobo]

What an interesting documentary, thoughtfully and well put together. 👏 In Ghana is a country trying to squeeze out the best deal they could get from a ferocious international business community, even by playing dodgy politics with the deal, and in Nigeria is a small community grappling to get even the smallest benefit they could get from a greedy stupid and corrupt government. As a Nigerian, I will rather have the former..