By Thompson ABISOLA
The Institute of Oil and Gas Research and Hydrocarbon Studies has called for more funding support to research into other unexploited mineral hydrocarbon deposits available in commercial quantities in in the country as the world is gradually sourcing for alternate energy sources.
Prof. Akin Akindoyeni, chairman of the institute’s council disclosed this recently at the institute annual forum and award ceremony in Lagos,
According to Akindoyeni, it is common knowledge that tremendous progress is being made in the production of shale oil, sand oil and other energy sources with a view to reducing green gas emission in their combustion.
“If the current rate of progress is maintained, then the need for heavy oil production will be reduced to the manufacture of the bye-products such as grease and hard polymers only.
“An important area which should also not be overlooked is the pollution of the oil field environment. The current environmental cleaning effort is unsatisfactory, to say the least.
“More importantly, to what use will those sites be put after cleaning? For previous agricultural land, it will no longer be useful.
” We are advocating for funds to objectively research into most probable use(s) of such sites after the cleaning exercise”, he said
The institute’s chairman noted that the institute believes that the responsibilities of the oil companies are not exhausted until there is an economic utility conclusion of the exercise.
Akindoyeni said the Petroleum Governance Bill (PGB) was a step in the right direction but is deficient in many facets adding that though the bill provides for the control of the industry’s destiny to still remain firmly in the resolute grip of the public sector.
“There are also other unexploited mineral hydrocarbon deposits available in commercial quantities in such countries as Nigeria, Gabon, etc.
“A typical example is the unexploited Nigerian Bitumen deposit. With the current trend of development in finding more economic alternatives for traditional oil and gas as well as hydrocarbon products for human use, countries with such deposits may soon find these minerals unnecessary to exploit in the face of more efficient alternatives”, he added.
Akindoyeni said that the Institute of Oil and Gas Research and Hydrocarbon Studies was established and registered as a cooperative intervention organisation, between the public, intellectual and private sectors.
He said that the Institute was set up with the objective of contributing to the development, stability and growth of our Oil and Gas and hydrocarbon industry, through authentic research studies, garnering of the precious experiences of the doyens of the industry and the dissemination of the fruits of these endeavours to the public, private and international stakeholders.
