By Abdallah el-Kurebe, Editor
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that it was committed to pursuing the Federal Government’s aspiration of deploying the nation’s vast gas resources for economic growth.
This is contained in a statement by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu Thursday.
According to him, the Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru disclosed this while commissioning a $60m Egbeoma Gas Processing Plant in Ebedei Community, Ukwuani Local Government of Delta State.
“NNPC is committed to the Federal Government’s aspirations as expressed in the gas policy, environmental policy and domestic gas utilization policy,” Dr. Baru stated.
Some of the targets under the various government policies, Dr. Baru observed, include theeffective monetization of the nation’s vast gas resources for sustainable economic growth and a complete end to gas flaring.
In particular, GMD said the corporation was pursuing aggressive growth in domestic gas supply capacity from the current 1.7bscfd to 5bscfd in the medium term, a growth which he explained, would come from the seven (7) critical gas development projects.
According to him, aside the gas supply growth, the NNPC was equally committed to the expansion of gas pipeline infrastructure network system.
“This expansion includes the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline which is less than 5km to Egbeoma Gas Plant and can serve as a major evacuation artery of the dry gas produced from the plant to the market,” he added.
While congratulating PNG Gas Ltd, operators of the Egbeoma Gas Plant, Baru noted that the development fitted squarely into the Federal Government’s gas aspiration of using gas as an enabler for energy independence, industrial development, commerce and environmental and social sustainability.
He also described the achievement as a “no mean feat”, adding that the conceptualization and actualization of the gas plant project dream had reinforced NNPC’s confidence in the potentials of Nigerian indigenous companies.
The GMD urged operators whose assets are close to the plant and the OB3 pipeline to seize the opportunity by collaborating with PNG Gas Limited to supply gas to maximize the plant’s capacity, access and commercialize all existing flares and further develop the significant gas reserves of 1Tcf of gas in the area.
“I see this initiative as the beginning of an end to the last mile of gas flaring in Nigeria. This plant is a hallmark of Nigerian engineering prowess and local content capacity,” he added.
Earlier in his address, promoter of the Egbeoma Gas Plant project, Engr. Charles Osezua, said the plant represented the success story of Nigerian engineering.
“Our dream is to help realize the Federal Government’s drive of building a gas hub in this area by processing 150mmscfd of gas which will not only generate power but also support the growth of the nation’s economy,” Osezua stated.
He said as an industry leader, NNPC had a major role to play in galvanizing and bringing together the nation’s gas producers with a view to creating a gas hub in the country.
He noted that since inception in 2016, the plant had been running at 97% of installed capacity with a stellar safety record of about 1.5million man hours of operation without loss time injury (LTI).
The PNG Gas Limited is the owner and operator of Egbeoma Gas Plant which processes 30 million standard cubic feet of wet gas daily.
The gas plant off-takes wet gas from the Platform/Newcross JV flow station to produce Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Propane, Lean Gas and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL).
The plant is also the only onshore third-party gas extraction and fractionation plant of its kind in Nigeria and a mascot of the new gas revolution.
