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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) on Tuesday officially kicked off the exploratory drilling campaign in Obi, Nasarawa state, with assurances that the effort will contribute to the realization of its ambition to increase crude oil reserves. of the country to 50 billion barrels, up from the current 37 billion barrels. billion barrels.
Speaking at Ebenyi-A Well pudding, the first well in the central lowlands of Benue, President Muhammadu Buhari said the move was in line with ongoing campaigns to explore crude oil and gas in the basins. border areas of the country.
The President listed properties that the nation plans to explore, such as properties in the Chad Basin, Dahomey Basin, Anambra Platform, Calabar Pier, Sokoto Basin, Bida basin, save the Benue region as well as the extremely deep plains of Niger.
In addition, the President, who attended the event online, said the exploration efforts are consistent with commercial hydrocarbon discoveries in the Kolmani area of the Upper Benue Trough.
“I am pleased to note that activities are currently underway to develop the Kolmani oil discoveries into commercial production to add to the country’s substantial hydrocarbon assets.
“I am encouraged by the tremendous work NNPC Limited has done to exploit the prospects at the Middle Benue bottom leading up to today’s event,” noted Buhari.
While praising the commitment of the NNPC, the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and other partners for their great contribution in making the event a reality, the President expressed hope It is hoped that the positive outcome of the drilling campaign will lead to more prosperity and improve Nigeria’s economy overall energy security.
He added that surrounding communities would particularly benefit from the value created by potential exploration and production activities, and urged NNPC and its partners to carefully consider the consequences environment of oil and gas exploration activities and minimize negative impacts.
He also thanked the government and the people of Nasarawa State, the host community, for their continued support and cooperation in the success of the exploration campaign.
Also speaking, NNPC Group CEO Mallam Mele Kyari described the event as a special occasion, explaining that it was part of the President’s clear mandate to the NNPC to continue continued vigorous exploration in inland border basins.
Kyari added that this mission aims to increase hydrocarbon reserves in the country with the ultimate goal of enhancing national energy security and related economic benefits for the people.
While pointing out that exploration in the Benue Trough began more than ten years ago, he pointed out that since 2010, NNPC has carried out a number of geophysical activities, applying appropriate technologies and conducted integrative studies, which led to the merger of Ebonyi-A Bien.
GCEO reaffirms that these findings are highly indicative of the likelihood of commercial hydrocarbon detection in the region.
“Today we mobilized the rig at this site in the Obi Local Government Area in Nasarawa State. We are optimistic that the positive outcome of this campaign will contribute to the realization of the national ambition of increasing hydrocarbon reserves from 37 billion barrels to 50 billion barrels in the short and medium term while increasing crude oil production of the country. we’re aiming for 3 million barrels (per day).”
He noted that the NNPC, in collaboration with NUPRC, has committed to exploration activities in the country’s border basins including watershed areas using industry best practices and standards.
He further mentioned that mobilization to rejoin the Chad Basin has begun under the President’s leadership even as the NNPC conducts other activities in the border basin.
Kyari assures its stakeholders that the NNPC will conduct its operations with the utmost care and attention to health, safety, and environmental issues.
“We understand the responsibility that comes with exploring and exploiting natural resources, and we are committed to doing that in a way that is best for our country and our people.
“As NNPC Ltd, we are committed to best practices and the highest standards in our operations and we engage in impact assessment studies during and after operations to minimize the possible impact of our exploration activities. He added: “We will also engage host communities as key stakeholders and carry out community support projects in accordance with NNPC Ltd’s corporate social responsibility policies and terms of the PIA”.
In his speech, Minister of Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva noted that the event marks another milestone in decades of hydrocarbon exploration in inland border basins.
The Minister, who is represented by the Director General of NUPRC, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, explained that the development highlights the government’s efforts to ensure that the necessary investments have been made in the exploration of border basins in Nigeria.
He honored Buhari for alleviating energy poverty in the country as well as the NNPC board and the people of the state, stressing that he is certain of the success of the project.
Sylva added that the primary function is to increase the nation’s hydrocarbon reserves to 40 billion by 2030, pointing out that these assets have been “reduced at risk” by the implementation of the Frontier Exploration Fund (FEF). within the framework of the PIA.
The Minister explained that the implementation of the reserve will benefit from the fund to increase oil reserves and ensure energy security.
He added that all field benefits must be harnessed before the effects of the energy transition begin to be felt. He also promised that the host community fund would also be extended to local people in accordance with the law.
Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule noted that although there has been speculation about the presence of oil in the area, the discovery of this commodity in Kolmani with the support of the President turned d’ Ebenyi come true.
He called for rapid development of the land and urged the host community to treat the project as their own, stressing that if the right thing was done, a repeat of the Niger Delta situation would be avoided.
Executive Vice President, Upstream, NNPC, Adokiye Tombomieye, in his remarks, noted that the oil well, Oil Exploration Lease (OPL) 826, is taking off after the completion of a geological forecast Preliminary of Keanu’s outlook, setting the path to start drilling operations.
“The state of Nasarawa is poised to become an oil-producing state if our exploration efforts produce the expected discoveries. We are confident that the drilling campaign will be successful based on the data and hospitality we have received so far,” he said.
