By Eseoghene Emuke
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, on Thursday raised hope that plans are seriously in progress to commercialise flared gas in the country.
Baru, who assured that Nigeria would soon end gas flaring, disclosed that the NNPC is “aggressively pursuing growth in domestic gas supply capacity from the current 1.7bscfd to 5bscfd in the medium term.”
The NNPC GMD spoke on Thursday at the commissioning of a $60 million Egbaoma Gas Processing Plant (EGPP) operated by PNG Gas Limited at Ebedei in Ukwani council area of Delta state.
He noted that the new ‘Gas Flare Regulations 2018’ of the federal government is aimed among other things to reduce the environmental impact caused by natural gas flaring in the country, saying that in no distance time, Nigeria would soon start seeing results of the FG’s efforts.
Baru at the event also directed gas operators whose assets are located with the area to ensure that gas is made available to the EGPP in order to maximize the plant’s capacity particularly in the Niger Delta region.
He further revealed that plans are ongoing to expand the gas pipeline infrastructure, adding that the “expansion includes the Obiafu-Obrikom to Oben (OB3) gas pipeline which is less than 5km to Egbaoma Gas Plant and can serve as a major evacuation artery of the dry gas produced from this plant to the market.
“I also use this medium to assure Deltans and Nigerians that the journey to effective monetization of our vast gas resources for sustainable economic growth and complete end to gas faring is underway and the future is bright.”
Meanwhile, the chairman of Owel-Linkso Group, Engr. Charles Osezua, has urged the NNPC to facilitate collaboration between gas producers and gas processing plants in the country to ensure that the environmental impact of using natural sources reduced.
Osezua, who is director of PNG Gas Limited, said this will enable the objectives of the gas industry to be achieved.
He added, “All these producers are your partners. Use your office to bring us together to do what is best in our country, instead of duplicity of plants. NNPC should midwife, create the environment to make it possible for the likes of us to invest, so that the objectives of the gas sector can be achieved for the benefits of our country.”
The EGPP started operations in 2016, and have since then produced an estimated 34 million liters of cooking gas.
The plant which is wholly indigenous and the first to materialize as such, consumed about $50 million to ensure its establishment.
