A new oil scene is emerging in Africa, thanks to the rising price of petroleum products. Many players, American, European or Asian, are competing to dominate this scene, given fresh impetus by recent discoveries. This competition risks compounding the perverse effects of black gold so often observed in weak states: distorted economies, generalised corruption, damaged environments and human rights abuses. On the other hand, a number of international initiatives are encouraging more responsible behaviour amongst mining companies and states involved in the extraction process, with a view to making them contribute more effectively to development. This article attempts to clarify the prospects opened up by the encounter between these two contradictory movements.