Minister Seeks Effective Indigenous Participation In Oil Sector

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, has said that a reliable Oil and Gas Sector can only be built by effective participation of competent Nigerian Service providers and operators.

A statement by the Group General Manager Public Affairs Division, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Levi Ajuonuma said Alison-Madueke was appreciative of the fact that International Oil Companies (IOCs), indigigenous companies and some professionals were already keying into opportunities provided by the Nigerian Content Act.

Leading a team of experts and stakeholders in the Oil and Gas industry on a tour of the Utorogu Gas Plant in Ughelli, Delta State recently, the Minister Pledged the Federal Government’s Commitment to work with 10cs to meet the nation’s gas to power aspirations, noting that such goal could only be attained if the oil majors work in concert with local service providers.

She reiterated government’s plan to increase gas supply to facilitate power generation in the country through the aggressive execution of the ongoing 12-month gas emergency time line geared towards the expansion of the nation’s gas-to-power capacity.

She affirmed that the drive to ensure adequate gas supply for power needs was irreversible.

Some gas production facilities visited in the state by the minister and her team were LEE Engineering and Construction company, MAKON Engineering and Technical Services and Fenog Nigeria Limited.

The Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Operator of the Utorogu Gas Plant, Mutiu Sunmonu said the company had taken adequate steps to improve gas supply to power plants in the country adding that it was already keying into Federal Government 12 months gas emergency plan to boost power generation.

He disclosed that the plant’s current production capacity was 250 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) while work was going on at a new plant designed to increase the capacity to about 510 mmscf per day.

Vivian-Peace Nwinaene