Oil & Energy
PH Hosts 1st Oil And Gas Exhibition
Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital, will host the first International Oil and Gas Exhibition in the Country in 2014/2015, the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) has disclosed.
The exhibition is expected to open Port Harcourt more to the international community in oil and gas business, with increased revenue accruing in local and foreign currencies.
President of the PHCCIMA, Engr. Emeka Unachukwu, who is just back to the country after a business trip to Ghana told The Tide yesterday in Port Harcourt that during the trip, he explored the possibility of having Nigeria’s Garden City host the first ever international oil and gas exhibition, and was glad that he achieved the feat.
His words: “Well, I’ve done a lot of trips but the one I achieved most was my trip to Ghana, where I went to make a specification to bring an oil and gas event to the country. Uptil now, we do not have any institutional event like oil and gas (in the city)”.
“Port Harcourt is like the Houston of America, like every other oil city in any country but it’s regrettable that we do not have any major Oil and Gas event in Port Harcourt so I went to Ghana to make investigation (about) organisers of oil and gas event –that we want this event in Port Harcourt .
“We (PHCCIMA) are lucky to have the speaker of the River State House of Assembly to travel with us and as I talk to you today, by 2014/2015, Port Harcourt will host the first ever international oil and gas exhibition that will rank with every other oil and gas exhibition in the world,” he said.
Engr. Unachukwu said Port Harcourt deserves to host the multi-purpose exhibition that will open up more windows of opportunities in the oil and gas sector because the city occupies an enviable economic position in Africa.
“If Port Harcourt was a county in Africa, it will be one of the 5th biggest economy; if Rivers State was a country in Africa, it will be one of the 5th richest country in Africa so that tells you the kind of cities we are in. This city is comparable to any of the major city in the world,” he enthused.
Engr. Unachukwu who became President of PHCCIMA recently said given the economic potentials of Port Harcourt, his mission on the Organised Private Sector’s hot seat is to take the chamber to a level comparable to any Chamber in the world-beyond Africa.
“We want to be compared with all the major Chamber of the world—
The only way you can check the size of a city is by knowing the kind of economic activity that goes on in it; the kind of economic activity that goes on in Port Harcourt is more than what obtains in most cities of the world so what ever is happening here has to be compared be at par with what goes on in major cities in the world so that is where we are going and that is what I’ve come to do.”
Engr. Unachukwu added: “I came in as a Reformer who’s trying to do a new thing to change the chamber of commerce (and take it to the next level ),” while acknowledging the contributions of the past presidents of the chamber since 1957, especially his immediate predecessor, Engr. Vincent Furo in taking the chamber to where it is.
Justus Awaji
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
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.
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