Oil & Energy

Oil Workers And Industrial Action

Published

12 years ago

February 19, 2012

Oil company workers under the aegis of the Petroleum and National Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) recently issued a sevenday ultimatum to the Rivers State Government and the management of VAM Onne Nigeria Limited, to either resolve the industrial relations crisis in the company or have all oil and gas operations shut down indefinitely. The workers alleged that the company in collaboration with some politicians sponsored thugs numbering over 15 armed with dangerous weapons to harass, manhandle, assault them and disrupted the peaceful protest organised by PENGASSAN, Port Harcourt Zone against the management of VAM Onne Nigeria Limited.

In a petition addressed to the Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi dated February 8, 2012 and signed by the Assistant General Secretary of PENGASSAN, Port Harcourt Zone, Mr Sunday Onyenachi, the workers said,” as a result our National Secretariat has directed that after seven days, with effect from February 9, 2012, there will be a complete shutdown of all oil and gas operations in Rivers State. If thereafter, the matter is not resolved within the period, the entire 10 states in Port Harcourt Zone including Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Enugu, Imo and Rivers State will follow suit and this will escalate the crisis.”

They alleged that the country Manager of VAM Onne, Mr Engene Fogli victimised 27 PENGASSAN members who have been locked out for over three months without salaries. The workers accused the VAM manager of engaging in anti-union activities ranging from intimidation, harassment, lockout, victimisation and enslavement of Nigerian workers, flagrant abuse of our extant labour laws and release of Nigerians from employment without clearance from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). And more importantly, refusal to honour agreement which was reached at a meeting at the instance of Prince of Onne community, Prince (Dr) Jime Osaronu and Mr Sunday Dudu between the association and the management on November 15, 2011 at Novetel Hotel , Port Harcourt.

They also said Mr Fogli had started recruiting new staff to replace workers that were locked out because they exercised their fundamental rights to belong to trade union.

Similarly the independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Ilorin branch penultimate Saturday threatened that the association would withdraw its services with effect from Tuesday last week because the lives of its members were being threatened by vandals of petroleum pipelines.

Chairman of the association Alhaji Holaji Agbolade bemoaned a situation where those arrested for pipeline vandalism by the Police, State Security Serviced (SSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were not properly persecuted.

He said : “Pipeline vandalism is an economic sabotage, we are worried about a situation where suspects are arrested and released within a few days without prosecution! According to the association, “we will likely withdraw our services and fuel will not be sold at the Ilorin Depot to any filling station. He gave an instance where about two years ago, the police arrested five persons who were each sentenced to five years imprisonment by the Federal High Court but were released two weeks ago without completing their jail terms by another court and called for the re- arrest of the convicted pipeline vandals.

All these came at the time when fuel tanker drivers embarked on their strike that triggered some days of petrol scarcity.

It is known that the prime function of trade unions the world over is to protect and improve the wages and working conditions of their members through collective action, whether by bargaining with the employers by promoting legislation. In fact, historically, one of the main reasons for the setting up of trade unions was that the workers might acquire a combined strength which would enable then to bargain more effectively with the employers and to replace the individual contract by a collective agreement.

In Nigeria, many employers and employees refuse to believe that this is what happens and they think that the collective agreements are fundamentally different in form and content from what obtains outside.

Another midely held belief is that the workers in Nigeria are not free to withhold their services if they are dissatisfied with their conditions of work.

Freedom of association does not merely imply the right of workers to form or join an organization and the right of that organization to have a legal existence. It also implies freedom for the organization to function. If freedom of association is to have its full value, the workers must be able to use their organization for collective action and must enjoy the right to strike if they regard their working conditions as unsatisfactory.

Another thing to be remembered is that the structure, functions and rights of the Nigerian trade unions cannot be properly appreciated unless the economic, political and social structure of the country is taken into account. Personal or group circumstance is less important in the case of the nation. The fact that the rights of oil workers are trampled on or tampered with as alleged by PENGASSAN and the IPMAN do not call for strikes that are not negotiated or dialogued before commencement. There are various methods for dealing with industrial disputes which were not adopted by the tanker drivers and oil workers in the current crisis.

The withdrawal of services by tanker drivers for about six days and the threats by the PPPRA, PENGASSA and IPMAN has resulted in enormous pressure on other sectors of the economy.

Oil workers should acknowledge the fact that the oil and gas industry is an important aspect of the nations economy and any action such as strike critically paralyses the economy and the movement of people.

Petroleum products distribution in Nigeria and Rivers State in particular in the past one week has continued to suffer from the negative effects of the marketers and oil workers. People are forced to pay exorbitantly for petroleum products which also affects transport fares. The reputation of some oil workers and their managements has been battered by their failure to come to terms.

Regardless of what the issues are, citizens of the country and government are not happy with the situation in which they find themselves while the fuel scarcity lasts.

Cheap and effective business and services are no longer guaranteed in the country. This is why it is incumbent on the state and federal governments to seize the initiative and end this improfitable standoff once and for all.

The Tide learnt that the Federal Government might have begun the process of calling a stakeholders meeting where some of the issues unearthed during the hearing on the subsidy claims by the National Assembly would be addressed with a view to checking the fuel scarcity.

The issues raised by IPMAN and the PENGASSAN concerning intimidation and other ill-treatments meted out to their members should be addressed just as perpetrators of pipeline vandalism should be treated according to the law as it concerns economic sabotage. Oil workers on their part should not in any way allow themselves to be used by anyone or group whatsoever to disrupt the distribution process of petroleum products.

Security agencies should take serious the issue of pipeline vandals because their activities are counter productive, especially now that there is the need for improvement in the allocation of petroleum products.

The Rivers State government would not wish to put itself in a position where it will be vulnerable to copycat strikes and it must be realised that the consequences of this quibbling have resulted in economic downturn and penury on the citizens.

When two elephants fight, the resultant effect is always on the grasses. While the oil workers or tanker drivers argue over the fine points of their grievances, the citizens are suffering.

As the body charged with overall well-being of the citizens, government should endeavour to bring the strike and threats under control. The welfare of the people is simply too important to be put on hold through strikes. The companies managements should see reasons with their workers and give them what they want if their demands are genuine.

There should be evidence of faith in the demands of the workers and it must be obvious that they are making a point. There is the need for negotiations between the government, company managements and the workers to find solution to the situation.

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) alleged the fear of petroleum products scarcity as it claimed that Nigeria still has over 35 days sufficiency and more importers of petrol are in the business, so people should face what they are licensed to do rather than causing artificial scarcity of fuel.

There are many issues involved in the petroleum sector reform which need to be addressed. Insecurity in the nation’s high seas is one of the factors that bring about scarcity of petroleum products. Some oil companies have applied for as much as 160,000 metric tones but had not been able to get that quantity while some take their vessels to neighbouring countries such as the republic of Benin and Togo because of inadequate storage facilities at the country’s ports, so they have to split the products, which is a security risk because of the way pirates operate and the difficulty in the jetties.

As a way forward, there is need for re-classification of the oil companies in a bid to effectively reposition the oil industry. The dearth of facilities at our ports has also forced importers to use ports in neighbouring countries and there should be market forces to determine quality of fuel imported and the prices they are sold as an inspector is made to oversee the quality and quantity of import.

Shedie Okpara

Oil & Energy

NSCDC’s Anti-Vandal Squad Uncovers Artisanal Refinery In Rivers Community

Published

1 week ago

April 15, 2024

The Tide

The Anti-Vandal Squad of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Rivers State Command, has uncovered yet another local refinery situated at Adobi-Akwa settlement in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The State Commandant, Basil Igwebueze, disclosed this while speaking to journalists shortly after the tour of the Illegal site.
Represented by the Head, Anti-Vandal Squad, CSC Peters Ibiso, Igwebueze said the squad made the discovery following a tipp off, expressing regret that no arrest was made as the boys fled the site upon sighting the squad.
The cammandant’s representative took the newsmen across a tick forest of about 6-7 kilometers from the main town.
The team sighted where the pipeline vandals tapped into the Well Head of yet to be ascertained multinational company, connected their galvanised pipes to several cooking pots, heat up the crude to produce Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
In his words, “Upon receiving a tip-off, the Anti-Vandal operatives swung into action to uncover this illegal oil bunkering site. They were in this forest for two days having cordoned the area, unfortunately, the perpetrators upon sighting our men took to their heels, but investigation is still ongoing to effect the arrests of such defiant elements”.
The Anti-Vandal Unit Head further narrated the operation techniques of the operators of local illegal refineries from the point of extraction of crude through vandalism of oil pipelines to cooking in various ovens where the content is subjected to high temperature and transmitted through pipes to reservoirs for storage and onward trans- loading to buyers.
While insisting that the command would not relent in the fight against illegal dealings in petroleum products, he urged the public to have more trust in the NSCDC by providing actionable intelligence that would enhance possible arrest of economic saboteurs in the State.
“Our commitment to continuously work in tandem with the prosecutorial mandate of the corps in order to rid the State of economic saboteurs remains unchanged. We value our informants and most especially the intelligence driven tip-off received from time to time.
“It is also our duty to ensure that our source of information are not disclosed so as to protect our informants. It is therefore our delight that the public will continue to have confidence and trust in us as we together protect the nation’s critical national assets and infrastructure from dare devil vandals”, he stated.

By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu

Oil & Energy

Oil Fund Withdrawals Suggest Extended Price Rally

Published

1 week ago

April 15, 2024

The Tide

The world’s largest crude oil exchange-traded fund has bled over $2 billion in less than a year. And it i
s not due to investors finding greener pastures elsewhere with other ETFs; it is the siren call of soaring prices that is prompting this mass exodus.
The WisdomTree Brent Crude Oil exchange-traded commodity had assets under management of some $2.5 billion last summer, according to Bloomberg. Now, the publication reports, this is down to $396 million, with withdrawals accelerating over the past few days.
In that, withdrawals seem to be following price trends. Brent earlier this month topped $90 per barrel and, after a short pause earlier this week, is back above that threshold again following the latest Israeli strike on the Gaza Strip amid reports about a possible ceasefire.
While it is true that prices are currently driven higher mainly by geopolitical events, fundamentals are also at play. A growing number of forecasters are updating their predictions for benchmarks this year on expectations of resilient demand and increasingly tighter supply. And investors are following the trend.
Even those who have not sold their ETF holdings in order to invest more directly in the rally are benefitting. That same WisdomTree Brent Crude Oil ETC generated returns of over 13 percent during the first quarter of the year as opposed to an average 8.8% gain in the S&P 500.
The WisdomTree exchange-traded commodity became the world’s largest oil fund at the beginning of last year. The fund saw inflows of over $1 billion, which poured in as the deflation in oil prices that had begun in late 2022 extended into the new year. Now, the trend has reversed and it has reversed strongly.
The WisdomTree Brent Crude Oil ETC is not the only fund seeing outflows. The U.S. Oil Fund, which used to be the world’s biggest oil fund before the WisdomTree inflows last year and is now the world’s biggest oil fund once again, also saw a flurry of investor exits as benchmarks climbed higher.
According to Bloomberg, the fund’s assets under management currently stand at $1.3 billion, down from some $5 billion during the pandemic.
In further evidence that oil makes money, the Middle East is about to become the only region in the world with three trillion-dollar sovereign wealth funds. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is worth $993 billion, Bloomberg reported in March, while the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the Kuwait Investment Authority are breathing down its neck.
Meanwhile, investment in transition-related stocks is on the decline, according to data reported by Reuters. The S&P Global Clean Energy Index is down by 10% since the start of the year. In comparison, the S&P 500 Energy Index, which comprises Big Oil names, has gained 16.3%.
The data shows that investors are growing wary of all the promises made by transition advocates as evidence mounts that these were not based on due diligence. Wind and solar stocks suffered a crash last year when this first became clear.
Now, we are witnessing a continued awakening among investors to the challenges and the realistic potential of transition technology and alternative energy sources.
“With conventional energy having its own bull run, I think the alternative funds will struggle for the foreseeable future, and we shall see what the election brings”, the Managing Director of capital markets at Phoenix Capital Group Holdings told Reuters.
The comment summarizes the challenging situation for alternative energy investment and highlights the rebound of interest in oil and gas, much to the chagrin of decision-makers on both sides of the Atlantic.
In both Europe and the U.S., things can get even worse for the transition after the respective elections—in June for European Parliament and in November for U.S. President. It will certainly be an interesting year in energy.
Slav writes for oilprice.

By: Irina Slav

Oil & Energy

CNG Initiative: FG Targets 25,000 Jobs, $2.5bn Investment

Published

1 week ago

April 15, 2024

The Tide

The Programme Director and Chief Executive, Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiatives, Michael Oluwagbemi, has announced the Federal Government’s plan to target over 25,000 jobs and $2.5 billion worth of investment by 2027.
Oluwagbemi made this known during the Presidential CNG stakeholders’ engagement workshop held at BOVAS Auto-Gas Filling Stations, Ajibode Bus-Stop, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, at the weekend.
He stated that the initiative, which was part of palliative measures to ease the burden of the removal of fuel subsidy, would attract enormous investment and job creation as well as impact positively on the lives of Nigerians.
Meanwhile, he called on Nigerians to embrace the new initiatives by the Federal Government as part of palliatives to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy in the country.
“On October 1, 2023, when the President gave his speech, he announced that the Presidential CNG initiatives are going to be rolled out as part of palliatives on the removal of fuel subsidy.
“One of our major concerns is to make sure that the transition for the transportation sector is a cheaper, safer, and more reliable source of energy.
“In the coming weeks, we are going to be announcing the conversion incentives programme which will enable Nigerians currently using PMS and Diesel fuel vehicles to be able to convert their vehicles at designated places across the country at a discounted price based on certain pre-qualification under the palliative programme of the Federal Government”, he said.
On the value chain of the initiative, Oluwagbemi explained that the Federal Ministry of Finance is acquiring tricycles and buses that would be assembled and manufactured in Nigeria, with more than five automobile firms being activated.
“The value chain of the programme starts with every one of us. From the point of converting your vehicle, you have created the demand for natural gas.
“If your vehicle is converted by technicians and refuelled by autogas workshops across the country, then you are creating jobs for civil engineers and technicians. You’re creating jobs for the upstream in terms of upstream activities associated with oil and gas.
“And in line with the programme, the Federal Ministry of Finance is acquiring a number of tricycles and buses that will be assembled and manufactured in Nigeria. More than five of our automobile firms have been activated. So, you can see that in terms of job creation, the opportunities for Nigerians are enormous.
“The President has said we need to convert one million vehicles by 2027. We need 1,000 conversion shops and we need over 3,000 filing stations just like this. You can imagine the level of investment required for this.
“In order to sustain one million vehicle conversions by 2027, we need 25,000 technicians. So, the job creation potential is an opportunity for job creation in addition to our gross domestic product, $2.5 billion worth of investment to be mobilised in the next four years and of course more than $25 billion added to our GDP”, he said.
Oluwagbemi further called on Nigerians to embrace the new initiatives by the Federal Government as part of palliatives to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy in the country.
The representative of BOVAS Filling Station, a private investor in the Presidential CNG Initiatives, Temitope Samson, said, “We have worked with the regulators, we are also working with the Presidential Initiatives on CNG to make sure that standard safety is adhered to. We have also worked with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria to ensure that we have a standard accepted internationally.
“Our role is to ensure that there is availability of CNG across the nation, and to also ensure we have enough kits and tanks that are converted for people to use as many as possible, and to ensure safety and to train others so that anywhere they get to, they have very safe conversion”.
Recall that last year, President Bola Tinubu approved the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas initiative(PCNG-i)
This initiative aims to not only introduce more than 11,500 new CNG-enabled vehicles and provide 55,000 CNG conversion kits for existing vehicles that depend on Premium Motor Spirit but also promote local manufacturing, assembly, and job creation.