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Gas As Ultimate Resource For Power Generation

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Gas utility as a major resource for electricity generation is beginning to take the fron-tis-piece in Nigeria’s power sector. The product before now was limited to providing cheap energy for cooking but its necessity and impact in power generation has become so significant that the problem of regular electricity supply in this country can only be aggressively addressed with the use of gas.

There is increasing interest among Federal and State Governments as well as companies towards absolute utilisation of gas to facilitate electricity generation.

The Federal Government’s focus now is on how to increase gas supply to power plants in this country through the aggressive execution of the on-going 12 –month gas emergency time line to fire the gas-to-power scheme.

On its part, the Kwara State Government is already discussing with some investors that would use gas to generate electricity for the state. The Governor, Abiola Ajimobi acknowledged the importance of gas pipeline to the development agenda of his administration, when the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) led by its Chairman, Hon. Dakuku Peterside visted him at Ibadan recently on oversight function to assess NNPP facilities there. Peterside directed that faulty gas pipelines should be repaired without delay.

The managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mutiu Sunmonu said Shell is taking adeguate steps to improve gas supply to power plants in the country, pointing out that the company’s Utorogu Gas Plant in Ugheli, Delta State currently products 250 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) while work is going on at a new plant designed to increase capacity to about 510 mmscf/d which will have significant impact on power generation.

While the Ministry of Power Resources, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), International Oil Companies and the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) are making efforts to bridge the gap in gas supply, the Managing Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Mr. James Olotu says the delivery of the 1,025 megawatts into the national grid would be dependent on the availability of gas. He said that many power stations across the country are facing gas constraints which is being already addressed by the Federal Government.

According to him, Omotosho Power Plant has commenced operation and 70 megawatts added to National Grid through the plant, noting that in Sapele power station, only one unit can be fired, out of the three units because of gas constraints. With its unending complaints and sharp practices among the staff, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) is owing the Nigeria Gas Company an  over N40 billlion for gas supplied.

In 2010, government’s efforts at improving power supply got a boost with the commencement of gas supply to PHCN facilities through the NGC and via the Pan Ocean Oil Corporation (POOC), operator of the NNPC Pan Ocean Joint Venture. POOC currently supplies 50 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/f) of gas to the NGC from its Ovade-Ogharefe gas processing plant.

Pan Ocean managing Director, Mr. Festus Fadeyi once said. “We are very pleased that Pan Ocean is leading the flare-out agenda of the Federal Government and has commenced supply of gas to increase power generation to the national electricity grid”.

Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Brass Managing Director, Mr. Vincenzo Diloriuzo noted that there is enough gas in the country to ensure the success of the LNG project.

Government has over the time showed lack of political will in the issue of gas flare. Gas flare has negative effect on man and environment yet nothing was done, it takes a strong political will to actualise the gas-to-power agenda of the present administration vis-à-vis adequate generation, distribution and transmission of electricity through availability of sufficient gas. At the moment, gas produced for local consumption has grown to 930 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) and power generation from gas is more than 1829 megawatts.

Nigeria is adjudged the world’s 7th largest producer of high grade gas with zero per cent sulphur and rich in natural gas liquids with proven huge reserves of more than 182 tonnes per cubic feet, so our gas capacity should be enough to achieve the gas-to-power aspiration of the Federal Government, and make gas readily available to industrial customers that should in turn generate accelerated growth of manufacturing. We have a number of oil and gas companies that control a considerable share of the gas distribution here in the country and generally the gas market worldwide.

Utilising such companies maximally will facilitate the country’s power projects.

Not just international oil companies should participate in the gas project but indigenous firms should be given priority attention or consideration. Gas to power distribution is the boost the country actually needs now and there must be a corrupt –free national strategy for managing the gas revenues.

In his Democracy Day nationwide broadcast, President Goodluck Jonathan announced the government’s plan to ensure reliable power supply through the judicious implementation of the power sector road map which is at an advanced stage to fully privatise the generation and distribution of electricity to all levels of the country.

According to him, his administration is committed to the provision of regular and uninterrupted power supply, which he said remains unwavering, adding “we all agree that adequate and regular power supply will be the significant figure to enhance transmission with capacity and accelerate growth. It is for this reason that I remain optimistic that the reform we have initiated, the decisions we have taken so far and the plans we intend to strictly prosecute will yield desired result”.

He disclosed that to underline this commitment, a special session on power was convened to engage Custain Construction Company in contracting for gas production and delivery to ensure enough availability of power.

The President directed that the power sector reform was concluded on schedule and that the privatisation of the sector will be completed according to plan. The privatisation process, he noted, has attracted expression of interest from 131 companies across the globe.

The Federal Government has a two-point approach to the power agenda which are immediate repair of power plants as well as transmission and distribution of infrastructure in the short term and the building of power stations and provision of enablance to attract investors. It is also committed to accelerating the completion of the National Independent Power Project (NIPP) while building about 4,000 Kilometers of transmission lines and hundreds of substations, just as the design for the construction of hydro-power plants which will add about 3,000 megawatts to the national grid has been completed.

The National gas Emergency plan has not helped the problem of gas supply due to poor planning.

One yardstick to measure the level of development of any nation is its power generating capacity. Power is a critical element as it drives growth and development.

In Nigeria, generating adequate power to drive the economy has been a nagging problem and the problem continues to be insurmountable as efforts by previous governments could not yield the desired results. The availability of reliable electricity power to homes and businesses of our citizens has been one item in our national life that we have approached with so much hope and yet experiencing so much frustration over the past decades.

In recent decades, subsequent regimes have put in billions of naira to reverse the neglect and mismanagement which has characterised the power sector. The President Jonathan-led administration has expressed the commitment to bring an end to the nation’s stunted growth and usher in the fresh air of prosperity by pursuing a new era of sector-wide reform, which is driven by improved service delivery to every class of customer in the Nigeria electricity sector.

This prompted Jonathan to set up the Presidential Action Committee on Power, which he explained was to eliminate bureaucracy and inefficiency in decision-taking. He expressed the hope that the power sector reforms would succeed like that of the telecommunications sector.

Gas fired plants had been established across the country, capable of generating between 25,000 megawatts and 30,000 MW and many investors have indicated interest to invest in the power sector, so the problem of lack of gas to run existing power plants must be resolved to ensure that sufficient gas is available for more power plants that are being planned.

Nigerians are complaining that in spite of poor power supply, they are paying high electricity bills and they are expecting the government to quicken the installation of pre-paid meter in every household so that people pay for what they consume. A good number of Nigerians are also expecting President Jonathan to make a difference and to be the first leader to permanently solve the power problem in this country.

There are challenges which if not properly addressed by the government could truncate the growth plans in the gas to power initiative which include funding, regulations, sanctity of contract and community issues amongst others. The government must look into them critically and urgently too. A situation where local finance institutions are not able to muster the finance for gas sector investment even after the capitalisation exercise is totally unacceptable and will not urgur well for the sector.

 

Shedie Okpara

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Nigeria Loses More Crude Oil Than Some OPEC Members – Nwoko

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Nigeria’s losses due to crude oil theft has been said to be more significant than those of some other members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC).
The Chairman, Senate Ad- hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft, Senator Ned Nwoko, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
Nwoko noted with dismay the detrimental impact of the issue, which, he said include economic damage, environmental destruction, and its impact on host communities.
According to him, the theft was not only weakening the Naira, but also depriving the nation of vital revenue needed for infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District described the scale of the theft as staggering, with reports indicating losses of over 200,000 barrels per day.
Nwoko disclosed that the ad hoc committee on Crude Oil Theft, which he chairs, recently had a two-day public hearing on the rampant theft of crude oil through illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, and the systemic gaps in the regulation and surveillance of the nation’s petroleum resources.
According to him, the public hearing was a pivotal step in addressing one of the most pressing challenges facing the nation.
‘’Nigeria loses billions of dollars annually to crude oil theft. This is severely undermining our economy, weakening the Naira and depriving the nation of vital revenue needed for infrastructure, healthcare, education, and social development.
‘’The scale of this theft is staggering, with reports indicating losses of over 200,000 barrels per day more than some OPEC member nations produce.
‘’This criminal enterprise fuels corruption, funds illegal activities and devastates our environment through spills and pollution.
‘’The public hearing was not just another talk shop; it was a decisive platform to uncover the root causes of crude oil theft, bunkering and pipeline vandalism.
‘’It was a platform to evaluate the effectiveness of existing surveillance, monitoring, and enforcement mechanisms; Identify regulatory and legislative gaps that enable these crimes to thrive.
‘’It was also to engage stakeholders, security agencies, host communities, oil companies, regulators, and experts to proffer actionable solutions; and strengthen legal frameworks to ensure stricter penalties and more efficient prosecution of offenders”, he said.
Nwoko noted that Nigeria’s survival depended

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Tap Into Offshore Oil, Gas Opportunities, SNEPCO Urges Companies

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Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd. (SNEPCo) has called on Nigerian companies to position themselves strategically to take full advantage of the growing opportunities in upcoming offshore and shallow water oil and gas projects.
The Managing Director, SNEPCO, Ronald Adams, made the call at the 5th Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) Conference, held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, last Thursday.
Adams highlighted the major projects, including Bonga Southwest Aparo, Bonga North, and the Bonga Main Life Extension, as key areas where Nigerian businesses can grow their capacity and increase their involvement.
“Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd. (SNEPCo) says Nigerian companies have a lot to benefit if they are prepared to take advantage of more opportunities in its offshore and shallow water oil and gas projects.
“Projects such as Bonga Southwest Aparo, Bonga North and Bonga Main Life Extension could grow Nigerian businesses and improve their expertise if they applied themselves seriously to executing higher value contracts”, Adams stated.
Adams noted that SNEPCo pioneered Nigeria’s deepwater oil exploration with the Bonga development and has since played a key role in growing local industry capacity.
He emphasized that Nigerian businesses could expand in key areas like logistics, drilling, and the construction of vital equipment such as subsea systems, mooring units, and gas processing facilities.
The SNEPCO boss explained that since production began at the Bonga field in 2005, SNEPCo has worked closely with Nigerian contractors to build systems and develop a skilled workforce capable of delivering projects safely, on time, and within budget both in Nigeria and across West Africa.
According to him, this long-term support has enabled local firms to take on key roles in managing the Bonga Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, which reached a major milestone by producing its one-billion barrel of oil on February 3, 2023.

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Administrator Assures Community Of Improved Power Supply

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The Emohua Local Government Area Administrator, Franklin Ajinwo, has pledged to improve electricity distribution in Oduoha Ogbakiri and its environs.
Ajinwo made the pledge recently while playing host in a courtesy visit to the Oduoha Ogbakiri Wezina Council of Chiefs, in his office in Rumuakunde.
He stated that arrangements are underway to enhance available power, reduce frequent outages, and promote steady electricity supply.
The move, he said, was aimed at boosting small and medium-scale businesses in the area.
“The essence of power is not just to have light at night. It’s for those who can use it to enhance their businesses”, he said.
The Administrator, who commended the peaceful nature of Ogbakiri people, urged the Chiefs to continue in promoting peace and stability, saying “meaningful development can only thrive in a peaceful environment”.
He also charged the Chiefs to protect existing infrastructure while promising to address the challenges faced by the community.
Earlier, the Oduoha Ogbakiri Wezina Council of Chiefs, led by HRH Eze Goodluck Mekwa Eleni Ekenta XV, expressed gratitude to the Administrator over his appointment and pledged their support to his administration.
The chiefs highlighted challenges facing the community to include incessant power outage, need for new transformers, and the completion of Community Secondary School, Oduoha.
The visit underscored the community’s expectations from the LGA administration.
With Ajinwo’s assurance of enhancing electricity distribution and promoting development, the people of Oduoha Ogbakiri said they look forward to a brighter future.

By: King Onunwor

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