Oil & Energy

Oil Theft: Bayelsa To Set Up Maritime Securty

Published

11 years ago

June 10, 2013

Worried by the high level of oil theft and pipeline vandalisation especially in the riverine areas of the state, Governor Seriake Dickson, has indicated the intention of his administration to introduce an equivalent of Operation Doo Akpoo, the state security outfit to man oil installations and security of lives and security along the waterway.

Governor Dickson who stated this in Government House, Yenagoa, when the Managing Director of the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Mr Gro Pagano, paid him a courtesy visit decried the alarming increase in oil theft in the Niger Delta region, saying that, the situation was becoming worrisome, as it was having effects on the economy of not only Bayelsa State, but the nation as a whole.

The governor, who condemned acts of pipeline vandalism and oil theft across the country, however, identified insider abuse and inappropriate operational modalities of oil companies as some of the factors responsible for perpetration of the unpatriotic acts.

Reiterating his administration’s zero tolerance for crime and criminality, he disclosed that government will set up the maritime equivalent of Operation Doo Akpoo to man oil installations across the state as well as ensure security of lives and property on the waterways.

“We are going to deploy the maritime equivalent of Operation Doo Akpo in the riverine areas. That means we are going to do what we have done in the upland by building check-points across the creeks with communication gadgets, gunboats and other facilities including more manpower, their training and allowances.

“That is why all of us who are joint stakeholders in the preservation of security, particularly in the areas where you operate, have to come together and work more closely. We are not interested in collecting money from our partners. What we are interested in is a collaborative framework,” Governor Dickson stated.

Lamenting the absence of functional offices of multi-national companies operating in the state, he called for the establishment of such offices, adding that aside boosting the IGR of the state, it would generate employment opportunities for the teeming youths of the state.

According to him, the present administration’s ambitions development plan requires a lot of funds to drive it and stressed that the establishment of befitting offices will equally enhance the aesthetic beauty of the state.

He said,” I’ve always said that we see you people as our development partners particularly Agip, because as you know the bulk of your operations are in Bayelsa. But again, there are contradictions that come with that, and I will not fail to point out the contradiction in terms of the absence of an operational office that befits our contributions to your corporate business.

“If you are here, you will support us in terms of taxes and revenues which your company has been depriving us of, all these years by not having an appropriate corporate presence here. Meanwhile, we need those funds to support our ambitions development drive. If we have money and we are able to meet our responsibilities, we can then work better to create a safer operating environment.’

Governor Dickson also urged the state development partners to collaborate more effectively with government in leveraging the mechanisms that have already been provided by the security trust fund.

Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the delegation, NAOC’s Managing Director, Mr Ciro Autonio Pagano described the current trend and occurrences of oil theft as alarming.

Mr Pagano explained that the team was in the state to hold discussion with government on how best to solve the nagging problem.

Oil & Energy

NNPCL Assures On OB3 Pipeline Completion

Published

18 hours ago

May 13, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has said the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline would now be completed next quarter.
This is as the national oil company said it would continue to invest in the development of huge oil and gas infrastructure to make it easy for operators and prospective investors to carry out their business in Nigeria.
The Executive Vice President, Upstream, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), in Houston, Texas, United States of America.
Speaking at one of the panel sessions of a luncheon organised by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), with the theme: “Sustainable Energy Solutions for Africa’s Future (Nigerian Perspective)”, Eyesan stated that NNPC Ltd.’s objective was to ensure that there is a healthy balance of energy sources in the country.
She explained that though the oil and gas sector is not where it ought to be, much progress had been made between last year’s edition of the OTC in terms of opening up the sector for investments and infrastructural development.
While identifying funding as the major challenge impeding the development of the sector, Eyesan listed some of the bright spots in the industry to include the Executive Orders signed by the President to open up the sector, the imminent resolution of the assets divestment by the International Oil Companies (IOCs), and the aggressive execution of gas infrastructure projects such as the OB3 Gas Pipeline, which she said would be completed in the next quarter.

Oil & Energy

TotalEnergies Targets 100 Startups In 2024

Published

18 hours ago

May 13, 2024

The Tide

As part of its support to businesses in Nigeria and Africa, TotalEnergies Nigeria has launched the 2024 edition of its Startuppers challenge.
By this, the multinational aims at empowering 100 businesses across 32 African countries with N8 million cash prize, personalised coaching, and media representation.
The year’s edition of the challenge, launched virtually at an event attended by the Managing Director of TotalEnergies Nigeria Plc, Dr. Samba Seye, and other executives of the energy company, Last Thursday, would be used to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the multinational.
Presenting the form of this year’s competition, the General Manager, Total Country Service, TotalEnergies, Mrs Adesua Adewole, said registration for the challenge would open on May 13th and close on June 18th, 2024.
Adewole explained that 100 startups would be selected at first before 5 finalists would be selected, adding that the shortlisted businesses would pitch to a jury made of experts who would select winners across three categories.
“In December, we will have 100 businesses to celebrate in Africa. In past edition, we had only six winners who were invited to Paris but this year, we will have 100 winners who will be going to selected location where they will be celebrated”, she said.
Adewole stated that Africa was special to TotalEnergies, hence the focus.
In her words, “Africa is special to us. When you look at Africa, our youths make up 60%. They are the ones who will develop he continent, so we streamlined this to them to help them develop their businesses or ideas, scale up and become the business leaders of tomorrow.
“The aim of this 4th edition is to support and encourage young African entrepreneurs to innovate and bring their projects to reality in their country of application”.
Explaining further, the Country Communications Manager, TotalEnergies Nigeria, Dr Charles Ebereonwu, said “we have not attained 100 years before.
“Apart from celebrating 100 years, we have introduced new dimensions like your empowerment of women and equality. All entries will be subjected to whether they take into consideration these dimensions”.
Targeted by the challenge are startups less than three years old or pioneering a business idea with a positive impact on their communities and/or the planet.
“The aim of this 4th edition is to support and encourage young African entrepreneurs to innovate and bring their projects to reality in their country of application”, a statement from the firm said.

Oil & Energy

TCN Targets Power Restoration To North-East, May 27

Published

18 hours ago

May 13, 2024

The Tide

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has said electricity supply will be fully restored to the North-East by May 27.
TCN’s spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, who disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen, weekend, said the commission’s contractors were working to erect four new transmission towers along the Jos-Gombe axis, to enable the restoration of power supply to States in the North-East region of the country.
Recall that TCN had on April 23, said four of its towers along the Jos–Gombe 330 kilo volt (kV) transmission line were vandalised, affecting electricity supply to Gombe, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Yola, Bauchi, and Jalingo.
“The tower collapse affected Gombe, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Yola, Bauchi and Jalingo. Immediately after the incident, however, TCN engineers worked first to redistribute available bulk supply on the Jos, Bauchi, Gombe 132kV line between Jos and Yola Discos, while work commenced immediately at reconstructing the four vandalised towers”, the commission said.
It continued that “Presently, we are rebuilding the four towers simultaneously. Progress is evident, with one tower nearing 80% completion, another at 60%, a third at 30%, and dismantling work finished on the fourth tower”.
Additionally, she said, “tower members” are being fabricated and assembled on-site to expedite work, adding that TCN is dedicated to the quick restoration of bulk power on the line route.
“Construction work on the Jos – Gombe transmission line, taking supply up to Damaturu and environs will be completed and energized by the 20th of May, 2024, while the Damaturu – Maiduguri axis will be completed on the 27th of May, 2024.
“Expectedly, bulk power transmission would be fully restored on the affected 330kV transmission line by the 27th of May. Yola and Jos DisCos would also be able to offtake and distribute optimally from TCN substations.
“For now, only 38MW is wheeled to both Jos and Yola Distribution companies, with each receiving 19MW each. Efforts to take some of the available power to Jalingo was hampered by very high voltage on the line, which could cause a system disturbance”.
According to the spokesperson, TCN is aware of the inconveniences caused by the current insufficient power supply through Yola and Jos DisCos to electricity customers in the affected states.
Mbah further said the company pledged to earnestly expedite work on the towers to guarantee that the towers are completed within the specified time frame.