The Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, FIRST Exploration and Petroleum (E&P) Development Company Limited, Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, has said the Madu Conductor Supported Platform (CSP) produced locally will contribute additional 20,000 barrels of oil per day to Nigeria’s total offshore production and enable initial gas conservation and monetisation in the near term when operational in September 2022.
Adeyemi-Bero stated this yesterday during the official load-out of the newly constructed oilfield platform by Dorman Long Engineering Limited at the Nigerian Naval Dockyard, Lagos.
He said the CSP is a critical and integral infrastructure for the next phase of growth within the OML 85 Asset, adding that engaging an indigenous company for its construction is a testament to Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC)/FIRST E&P’s OML 83/85 Joint Venture belief in and commitment to Nigerian content.
He said the CSP is a small platform that can contain eight to 10 wells, which he said, when operational, will operate at a unit cost of less than $10 per barrel, in line with the government’s directive of producing and developing oil and gas for less than $20.
Adeyemi-Bero said this project is in addition to the Anyala Field investment in the delivery of oil production wells and necessary hydrocarbon processing and handling infrastructure (CSP, FPSO), which continues to sustain over 40,000 barrels of oil per day, thereby, generating stable revenue/income for the country.
He added that the firm is working toward reaching a production capacity of 100, 000 barrels of oil per day as well as gas to enable Nigeria to be self-independent and boost the employment of locals.
The Chairman, Dorman Long Engineering Nigerian Naval Dockyard, Dr Timi Austen- Peters, said the project, which an indigenous company executed, is something the country is proud of.
He said the platform, which would be producing about 20, 0000 barrels of oil and gas daily, means a lot for the Nigerian treasury, adding that this is a very significant contribution as the country has been struggling to meet its OPEC quota.
According to him, the benefits of the project include the domestication of expenditure, employment of Nigerians and training of youths.
“We are not looking for dollars to go and give to foreign companies, rather, we give it to Nigerian companies; we are spending the money locally and employing Nigerians as well as giving youths opportunity to get training so that they can also in the future do things like this. We are domesticating expertise and skills. We are making sure we keep everything in the country,” he said.
Also speaking, the Admiral Superintendent, Naval Dockyard Limited, Rear Admiral, Hamza Ibrahim, said the Nigerian Navy provided the enabling environment for the indigenous company to work, adding that the project will contribute to the national development of the country and the well-being of Nigerians.
He said the Navy also wishes to see Nigeria develop capacity in terms of self-reliance in building facilities of this nature, which he said is one of the major strategic reasons for the Federal Government acquiring the Naval Dockyard.
Ibrahim added that the project is also an integral part of acquiring sea power and enhancing maritime activities in Nigeria, which the Navy by the constitution is mandated to protect the maritime environment.
He said the Naval dockyard also enables Nigeria to build capacity in terms of maintenance and building of military vessels by providing an enabling environment for this project to be built in it.
On his part, the Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr. Bala Wunti, commended the management and staff of First E&P, Dorman Long and the entire project team for the hard work invested into making the project a reality.
Wunti, who was represented by the General Manager, Joint Venture Operation, Mr Buduwara Zakariya, said the project is in line with President Muhammad Buhari unveiling of the new NNPC Ltd with the promise of guaranteeing reliable energy while continuously creating value for all stakeholders.
He also commended the First E&P Joint Venture for the successful delivery of the phase-1A scope of Anyala-Madu field development project during the uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic, to sustain offshore production operations in a safe and sustainable manner.
Wunti said NAPIMS is committed to supporting the Joint Venture to yet again deliver remarkably on Phase-1b, adding that the Madu field development will raise the total JV production capacity to approximately 60,000 barrels of oil per day and facilitate the elimination of gas flaring.
