PH Oil And Gas Confab: Three Years After

From the 25th to 28th September, 2012, stakeholders in the
global oil industry will flock the Garden City of Port Harcourt, the capital of
Nigeria’s largest oil producing State (Rivers State) to discuss critical issues
pertaining to the operations of the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.

Since 2010, the Port Harcourt Oil and Gas
Conference/Exhibition has become a popular meeting point for technocrats,
bureaucrats, investors , the intelligentsia and policy makers in the Nigerian
oil industry including the International Oil Conglomerates (lOCs) to compare
notes on the politics, funding, environmental issues, corporate social
responsibility, community affairs and other relevant and related issues that
would promote the growth of the industry.

Conceptualised by the Rivers State House of Assembly,
particularly the House Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the
Conference was, according to the former Chairman of the Committee, (now Speaker
of the House), Rt Hon. Dan Otelemaba Amachree, intended to “provide a forum for
critical examination of issues and challenges of the oil industry in Nigeria
and also enable law makers to understand the intricacies of the industry.”

Hon. Amachree acknowledged that “the legislators became more
enlightened and members contributed effectively to debates as they were well
informed and more articulate on issues affecting the oil industry.

Beyond the legislators, the Conference in actualisation of
the original concept provided a veritable source of rich and authoritative
materials that have become points of reference in matters relating to the
industry.

In 2010, some of the key issues and their contributors
included:

The Niger Delta and paradox of development; Resolving the
Conflicts between Corporate Organisations and Host  Communities by Prof. Okey Ibeano, Director,
Institute for Development Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Petroleum Industry Bill; Implications to the Oil and Gas
Companies in Nigeria by Senator Lee Meaba, former Chairman, Senate Committee on
upstreams Petroleum.

Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone; relevance and opportunities by
the  former Managing Director of the Onne
Oil and Gas Free Zone,  Dr Noble Abe.

Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) and Host
Communities: The experiences of Corporate Organisations in the Niger Delta by
Mr Joe Jakpa, Superintendent, Eastern
Operations, Chevron Nigeria Limited.

Government Policies and Programmes as a road map for  Development in Rivers State by the Former
Secretary to the  Rivers State Government
and now Senator Magnus Abe.

Financing the Energy Sector in Nigeria; Challenges and  Opportunities by Mr Henry Otaigbe, Regional
Manager, South and East, Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria.

In 2011, the following topics were diagnosed by some of the
most prominent practitioners in the industry:

Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry: Strategy for Sustained  Development by Engr Austin Oniwon, former
GMD, Nigerian  National Petroleum
Corporation .

Nigeria’s Gas deposits and exploitations; making gas a
major  source of national revenue by
Owolabi of NNPC.

Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Oil Development Act: Implications
for  small and medium sizeoil service
companies by Engr Emeka  Ene, President
of PETAN .

Promoting the Nigerian Content through deregulation of the
downstream sector by Yomi Orenuga, GM, Nigerian Content,  Total E&P.

Petroleum Downstream Deregulation: Challenges and  Opportunities by the Director DPR.

Eliminating Constraints to the Financing of the Oil and
Gas.  Companies in Nigeria towards
promoting the Local Content  Act by-Chief
Atedo Peterside; Chairman IBTC Plc.

Review of the gains of Local Content Implementation in
the  Logistics sector of oil and gas in
Nigeria by MD, INTELS.

Efficient Management of Public Perception in
implementing  government policies;
deregulation and local content Act by Comrade Peter Eselu, President of the
Trade Union Congress.

As one of the highlights of this year’s Conference, the
Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr
Andrew Yakubu is expected to deliver the keynote address while the Amanyanabo
of Nembe, His Royal Majesty, Edmund Dakoru, himself a former GMD, has been  chosen as the Royal Father of the Day.

The 3rd Port Harcourt International Oil and Gas Conference
has its own features and characteristics which makes it  different from others .

Port Harcourt is the hub of the oil industry in Africa’s
largest oil producing country. Participants would not only be privileged to
discuss the issues, they would also have ample opportunities to feel and see
the pulse and operations of the  industry
.

In addition, there is a sporting and tourism touch to the
Conference as members would enjoy some golfing and other hospitality
possibilities.

Nigerian Content Act: the Facts and Issues by Dr Uche Peters
Adiela, Nigerian Agip Company Ltd.

Stop Gas Flaring in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects.

The role of Rivers State Government in creating sustainable
employment opportunities in the Petroleum sector.

Institutional Constraints and Prospects of the Oil and Gas
Industry in Nigeria by Mutiu Summonu, Country Chair, Shell  and MD Shell Petroleum Development Company.

Implementation of the Presidential Techn ical Committee
Report on the Niger Delta by Ledum Mitee, former President of the Movement for
the Survival of Ogoni People.

Unarguably, it is a statement of fact the two previous
edition had contributed immensely to knowledge in the Nigerian oil industry and
that issues were apt, relevant and helpful is seeking  solutions to challenges facing the industry.

However, this year’s Conference promises to be much
more  pragmatic and designed to grapple
with issues relating to an issue that has dominated activities in the Nigerian
oil and gas sector since its enactment; the Nigerian Content Act.

The theme of the 2012 edition is NIGERIAN CONTENT ACT  AND DEREGULATION:ISSUES AND PROSPECTS.

Because of the importance and credence attached to the
theme, a  galaxy of experts have been
lined up to do justice to all the matters that would arise from the Nigerian
Content Act and its implementation. Designed primarily to enrich and enhance

Nigerians participation in the oil industry.

The following topics have been outlined with appropriate
resource persons to address them .

Policy formulation, implementation and Monitoring in the Oil
and Gas Industry in Nigeria, the Challenge of the Nigerian Content Monitoring
Board by Engr. Ernest Nwapa, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content
Monitoring Board.

Other reputable organisations partnering with the Rivers
State House of Assembly are the Oil and Gas Trade Group of the Port Harcourt
Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Commerce and Agriculture and the Pennwell
Petroleum  Corporation.

Propelling the success of the Conference is a ten man
committee headed by Hon. Evans Bapakaye Bipi, Chairman  of the House Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources .

Come September, the Nigerian Oil and Gas sector would have
been further enriched by the gains of the 3rd Port Harcourt Oil and Gas-
Conference/Exhibition.

Martins, a Consultant, Media, resides in Port Harcourt.

Amabipi Martins