NNPC, Schlumberger Collaborate On Exploration

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and a reputable oil multinational, Schlumberger, have entered into partnership to deploy state-of-the-art technology in the search for commercial hydrocarbon deposits in Chad Basin and other parts of the inland sedimentary basins.
NNPC Chief Operating Officer, Ventures, Dr Babatunde Adeniran who disclosed this in the latest monthly Bulletin of NNPC, said the corporation was concluding partnership arrangement with Schlumberger in four research areas commencing 2017.
According to him, the collaboration would foster teamwork in strategic areas on exploration and reservoir management, among others.
Adeniran said: “The first is Exploration and Risks management studies of the Nigerian frontier Basins, which include the Upper Benue where NNPC is currently carrying out exploration works.
“We believe this will help the ongoing campaign in the Chad Basin and Upper Benue Trough”.
Other areas of the collaboration, according to him, include Wellbore instabilities studies to assist in reducing drilling costs through prevention of stuck pipes, improve safety and drilling performance.
It also covers formation damage prevention to improve oil and gas recovery and economic viability of the reservoir, risk reduction, complex depositional systems as well as drilling challenges.
He said the Research and Development Division of NNPC is set to take full advantage of the $1 billion global endowment fund for research instituted by Schlumberger, adding that these projects were showcased during the last conference of the National Association of Petroleum Exploration (NAPE).
“This is a coincidence and a plus to R&D, as this will provide opportunity to explore improvement on exploration activities in Nigeria”, said Adeniran.
Adding that the corporation is working towards reaching an accord with the multinational on Pressure Volume and Temperature (PVT) sampling and analysis, Adeniran said Schlumberger initially planned to set up its own PVT laboratory in Nigeria but discovered that the corporation’s RXD already had a well-established and equipped laboratory.
“They concluded then that instead of setting up theirs, they could partner with R&D”, he said, adding that a Memorandum of Understanding has already been signed by Schlumberger while NNPC was in the process of executing its own part.