By Eseoghene Emuke
The Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, says it remains committed to be the energy training hub in Nigeria and Africa as well as driving training of manpower in the oil and gas sector in the next 50years.
This is even as the institution has rolled out plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary of its establishment this month (October).
Principal of the Institute, Dr. Henry Adimula, reaffirmed PTI’s commitment towards meeting establishment objectives during a world press conference held to announce activities for its golden jubilee celebrations.
Adimula, flanked by management staff of the school, says PTI has recorded tremendous achievements since it was established 50 years ago by the Nigerian government to provide technologists, technicians and other personnel needed in the nation’s oil and gas sector.
He stated that the Institute has graduated over 50 thousand technologists, technicians and other technical personnel in various areas in oil and gas and allied industry operations, adding that the institution’s products can compete favourably globally.
While reeling out activities slated to celebrate the golden jubilee, Adimula disclosed that activities marking the celebrations will commence with a one-day conference/award night at the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in Abuja on October 13, 2022.
PTI Principal posited that the celebration will climax with the Institute’s Convocation ceremony slated for October 29, 2022 at the institution’s premise in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
He added that other activities have also been slated to hold at the campus between October 21st to 29th.
Adimula, while reeling out achievements of the institution, stated that PTI remains well-position to provide solutions in the challenges posed by global energy transition and continue to provide well trained manpower for the oil and gas industry.
“Our facilities are accredited by the International Well Control Forum and International Association of Drilling Contractors. This Facilities are versatile and can be customised to accommodate data from any oil and gas field. Therefore, training can be tailored around a particular field condition. The Institute is endowed with facilities particularly relevant to drilling operations such as Drillsim 6000. Drilling Operations and Management Trainers, Coil tubing stimulator and surface well test stimulator.
“Our demonstration Rig and Flow Station represent real life facilities equipped with all the components of a Rig and Flow Station utilised for skill development in Mud Engineering. Control system, hoisting, rotary system, etc. Our specialised diving centre is equipped with diving facilities such as Decompression Chamber and Dive tank that allows practical welding training such as under water cutting among others.
“In addition to that, the Petroleum Training Institute is also equipped with laboratory and workshop equipment for practical training on fundamental knowledge of Engineering principles that constitute the basis for petroleum industry operations. Our refinery operation trainers (Refinery stimulator) focuses on training on refinery processes.
“I urge the Captains of the oil industries to come and take a tour of our exceptional facilities that have huge potentials for offering training in all aspects of Petroleum industry operations. This facilities should serve as a platform for domesticating training in the industry and thus saving vital foreign exchange for the nation economy.
“At this junction, I must commend the past and present Executives Secretaries of Petroleum Technology Development fund (PTDP) for sponsoring the Institute upgrade project which culminated in infrastructure upgrade and procurement of these facilities that uniquely positioned PTI as the only Institute in sub-Saharan Africa with the magnitude of training facilities that can address the contemporary training needs of workers of the oil and gas industry in the continent.
“As the world grapples with energy transition from the exploitation and utilization of fossil fuels to cleaner and more environmentally friendly sources of energy, the Petroleum Training Institute has taken a bold stride in kick starting research and development effort that take cognisance of the peculiarity of the Africa situation.
“With an estimated 125 Billion barrels of crude reserves and over 600tef of gas reserves in Africa, it is our considered opinion that Africa should not hasten to abandon fossil fuel but should strive to deepen research and development of local technologies that enables the exploitation and beneficiation of our oil and gas endowment in a more environmentally friendly manner as the reality of global demand for fossil fuel is expected to linger for the next 50 years.
“Today, we are confronted with the grim reality that only a few African countries have been able to master certain aspect of oil production technology but none can research, design and fabricate key machinery for the industry.
“Thus the Institute intends to focus research in this key area in order to develop local content capacity in oil technology to enable our country to achieve some independence in the design and production of technology for the oil industry.
“This endeavour is all the more critical since the foreign expertises we solely rely on for our oil and gas potential have developed a sudden apathy for the exploitation of the hydrocarbons in the wake of the allurement of the energy transmission.
“This serve as a wakeup call for our indigenous Institutes to engage in research in order to develop local production technology in the oil and gas industry to address Africa’s perennial challenges of poverty and energy shortages. Of course the Institute also focuses on research for alternative and renewable energy sources and off grid solar contraptions in anticipation of the global energy transitions as our two pronged vision on research and development in the next 50 years consistent with our African reality.
“Furthermore, the PTI had for sometime been engaged in Knowledge Sharing Series (KSS) where experienced professionals in the industry meet to deliberate on the dynamics of the oil and gas industry and the challenges of the energy transition in the global energy mix.
“In recognition of the significance of the Petroleum Training Institute to the nation’s economy, the Federal Government constituted a ministerial committee on PTI Repositioning. The mandate of the Committee is to re-examine the Act establishing the Institute, assess its functions and performance in comparison to global best practice, review the existing facilities in the Institute, evaluate its funding constraints and proffer recommendations that will transform the Institute to be a leading training institute in Africa imbibing global best practice that can compete with any similar training institute in the world.
“I am elated to inform you that the committee had concluded its assignment and submitted a report to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and we are optimistic that the recommendations of the committee shall achieve the aim of transforming PTI in accordance with the nation’s vision for the Institute. I must add that one of the salient issues raised by the committee is the funding challenges confronted by the Institute which draws most of its funding from the consolidated revenue fund and hope the recommendations of the committee as regards for the Institute would receive the endorsement of government.
“This presentation will be incomplete without highlighting the accomplishments of the Petroleum Training Institute from its establishment five decades ago till date. In line with federal government’s local content policy on manpower development, the Institute has continued to provide training specific for the oil and gas and allied industry. The Institute effort has yielded positive result where expatriate technicians (Operators and supervisors) working in the Petroleum industry are now been replaced by trained indigenous technical manpower.
“From its establishment in 1972 till date, the Institute has graduated well over 50 thousand technologists and technicians and other technical personnel in various areas in oil and gas and allied industry operations.
“Our alumni members can be gleaned not only in Nigeria but across the globe playing major roles in the management and operations in the oil and gas and allied industry. Our graduates continue to be the most preferred choice for employment in companies across sectors related and not related to the oil and gas industry by virtue of the high quality confined on them through vigorous training and education which place them at a decisive advantage over other candidates”, he added.
