By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) started its week with assurance that Nigeria remains on track on the global demand for cleaner energy.
Emphasizing on this, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the just concluded 2021 Nigeria Oil and Gas Strategic Conference and Exhibitions (NOG) in Abuja, says the Federal Government is working conscientiously to ensure that the country meets the global demands on cleaner energy.
He said that the country had no option than to move with the global trend being signatory to international protocols on cleaner energy
Represented by the Minister of State for Petroleum resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, he added that the federal government was leaving no stone unturned at ensuring that the country moved to cleaner renewable energy but that the steps must be gradual.
Osinbajo explained that government had already directed stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to focus on natural gas resources as a transition fuel that would function as a bridge between the dominant fossil fuels and the cleaner energy.
“Natural gas has the intrinsic abilities to meet the increasing global requirements for cleaner primary energy use, while at the same time enabling much needed domestic industrialisation for rapid economic growth in very few endowed countries such as Nigeria.
Also, in his remarks , Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, who represented the Minister of Petroleum, Mr Bitrus Nabasu, said the signing of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) would help the country move faster in achieving a cleaner energy.
The Minister said gas had a lot of role to play in the country’s quest for cleaner energy resources.
In the week under review the corporation also reassured its commitment to energy sufficiency and wealth creation in the country
The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari reiterated its commitment to ensuring effective stewardship of the nation’s hydrocarbon resources to guarantee energy security and drive wealth creation in Nigeria.
Speaking on the topic: “Vision and Priorities for Nigeria’s Energy Transformation,” at the NOG, Kyari stated that for a nation with a teeming youth and a developing economy, Nigeria needed the right policies to unlock its huge economic potential, stressing that NNPC was working towards bridging the energy gap to multiply wealth for its varied stakeholders.
“We see a nation that must integrate by developing midstream and downstream infrastructure as the intersection and bridge to value. We see a nation in need of right policy framework to attract new investment while encouraging existing players,” Kyari averred.
He said that the Corporation has completed the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) Phase II project, thereby expanding the gas supply channel for domestic gas utilization, adding that it has also kick-started the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project, while the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben gas pipeline (OB3) project was billed for completion soon.
The GMD maintained that the Corporation’s vision was to emplace the critical backbone infrastructure, create liquidity and provide the necessary linkage to markets.
He noted that NNPC and its partners were harnessing and exploiting the nation’s huge gas potentials one of which was the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Train 7 project which the President performed the Ground-breaking ceremony recently.
According to him, the NLNG Train 7 is a flagship project expected to increase the nation’s LNG production capacity by 35% and seal Nigeria’s position as one of the top LNG nations in the world, adding that Nigeria was in the process of also transforming into an LNG-consuming country while at the same time deepening domestic utilization of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
The Corporation further expressed satisfaction with the level of participation of indigenous companies in the nation’s oil and gas value chain, pointing out that such was needed to prepare the country for the global energy transition.
Kyari, represented by the Chief Operating Officer, Upstream, Mr Adokiye Tombomieye at the NOG said the increased involvement of local players in the industry was an indication that Nigerians were ready to participate actively in the energy transition.
He noted that the conference offered the opportunity to identify knowledge and technical gaps that would guide industry leaders in fixing the challenges bedeviling the oil and gas sector.
Also, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote, said job creation and in-country value retention were the major areas of focus for the Board.
Wabote stated that the progress recorded so far would serve as encouragement for him and his team to continue to drive the development of local content in Nigeria.
Also, supporting the drive for Local content to drive oil and gas sector the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Extractive Industries Initiative (NEITI), Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, expressed satisfaction with the level of ingenuity on display by Nigerian companies at the exhibition.
He said the increased level of skills acquisition by Nigerians was directly related to the improved transparency in the nation’s oil and gas industry.
Still on the week under review, the NNPC applauded the Federal Government for its foresight in investing massively in the development of the gas sector which helped to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the economy.
The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Dr Kennie Obateru, gave the commendation at a panel session at the 2021 NOG.
He said the huge investment in gas production, processing and supply infrastructure for both domestic utilization and export provided a buffer to the economy as gas was the only resource whose price was not affected by the pandemic.
Obateru, who aligned with the Group Managing Director’s position that fossil fuel would still be relevant in the global energy mix for some time to come, called for concerted efforts in the development of the nation’s huge hydrocarbon resources in the interest of the citizenry.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB. Simbi Wabote, called on local and international oil companies to leverage on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to invest in the oil and gas sector.
He stated that the bill, when signed into law by the President, will end the old story of low foreign investment blamed on the lack of clarity and uncertainty in the oil and gas business terrain.
On Petroleum Industry Bill, the GMD explains Significance of Provision for Host Community Fund and provided insight on the thinking behind the provision of the host community fund in the Petroleum Industry PIB (PIB) recently passed by the National Assembly.
At a Town Hall Meeting on Protection of Oil and Gas Infrastructure organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in Abuja, Kyari who represented the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources stressed that the host community fund was proposed by the executive to provide practical succour to the plight of the host communities.
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio in his response called on host communities of oil and gas facilities to support the Federal Government in its drive to bring development to the area through meaningful intervention.
In his remarks, the Convener of the Town Hall Meeting, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohamed, said the event was designed to spotlight those factors that have made it challenging to effectively protect oil and gas infrastructure.
On smuggling of Petroleum Products, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC said it has procured six patrol vehicles for the “Operation White” scheme to enable them monitor the movement of tankers in the border areas of the country.
Speaking at the launch of the patrol vehicles at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, the Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company Limited (PPMC), Mr Musa Lawan, said the “Operation White” was recording positive results as there was a significant reduction in the daily consumption of petrol since the launch of the second phase of the scheme, code named “Operation White 2’’.
He said the vehicles would be used for sting operations and patrol around border communities to track movement of petroleum products tankers.
He commended the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, for his commitment to the efficient operation of the downstream sector and the fight against smuggling of petroleum products.
The trucks will be used by officials of Operation White who are drawn from the NNPC, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), and various security agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
On Corporate Social Responsibility, in the week under review, the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), another subsidiary of the NNPC donated a Civic Centre to Oben community and a Basic Health Centre to Evboesi community both in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.
The projects were commissioned and presented to the communities recently at an event organized by the company.
The Managing Director of NGC, Mr Seyi Omotowa, who was represented by Executive Director, Support Services, Mrs Uche Ossai, disclosed that the projects were part of the company’s way of encouraging the two communities to continue on the path of peace and support for the company’s activities.
Omotowa said that as a company, NGC would continue to solicit the cooperation and support of the communities for its business growth aspirations for the benefit of all Nigerians.
The Managing Director of Nigerian Gas Marketing Company Limited (NGMC), Mr Farouk Usman, who was represented by the General Manager Commercial, Mrs Chuddy Okocha, applauded the communities for providing the peaceful atmosphere for the company to conduct its business.
Speaking in a similar vein, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division (GPAD) of NNPC, Dr. Kennie Obateru, who was represented by the Manager, Community Relations, Mrs. Doris Ohia, congratulated the people of Oben and Evboesi communities for being found worthy as beneficiaries of the projects because of their peaceful disposition to the Corporation’s business, urging them to make good use of the projects to improve their social-economic lives of the people.
In his remarks, the Enogie of Evboesi Community, His Royal Highness, Ogiefo Festus Iduozee JP, appreciated NGC for providing the communities with the projects, assuring that his people would continue to safeguard the company’s facilities in their domain from vandals.
The commissioned projects were fully furnished and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and formally handed over to the leadership of both communities.
What you need to know about OPEC
The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was established on Sept. 4, 1960 in Al-Shabaab hall in Bab Al-Muaadham in Baghdad. OPEC was formed to ensure global market stability for both the producing and consuming nations of oil and gas resources.
Nigeria joined OPEC on July 12, 1971.
Nigeria became the 11th member of OPEC with the OPEC Conference unanimously agreeing to accept the country’s application for membership
Nigeria became the first sub Saharan African Nation to join the Organisation.
(NAN)
