Oil & Gas
By Anthony Isibor
THE fourth edition of the Nigeria and Entrepreneurship Summit and Honors, NESH Foundation; a roundtable series that began in 2017 was held virtually on Tuesday, 23 February 2021.
The program was chaired by Bitrus Nabasu, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, while Mele Kyari, group managing director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was the Chief Guest of Honor.
According to the organizers, the major objective of hosting the roundtable discussion was to use the outcome to kick start the NESH national advocacy on the Global Energy Transition (that is from using predominantly fossil fuels to cleaner energy) and the Nigerian Economy, and the urgent need anchored on enlightened self-interest for a quick passage at the National Assembly of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, that is supported by all the Key Stakeholders Speaking at the event, Emeka Ugwu-Oju, founder of NESH Foundation, reiterated that one of the key objectives of the roundtable series was to hold the events in the oil and gas producing states in Nigeria. And he gave the reasons for the online meeting instead of the proposed physical location in Imo State.
The proposed venue for this Roundtable prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which necessitated our hosting events online was Owerri, Imo State, as we also wanted the participants to undertake a brief tour of the Seplat Petroleum Development Company, ANOH Gas Processing Project, and Waltersmith Petroman Oil Ltd, Modular Refinery and Industrial Park projects, which are located nearby at Ohaji/Egbema LGA, Imo State, he said. He, however, believed that the CEOs of Seplat and Waltersmith would have one or two things to say about the projects during the panel session. According to him, the envisaged theme of our advocacy is ‘THE URGENCY OF NOW.
I do not know what the eminent speakers today will say, but let me highlight the following signposts: (i) Global energy transition will have a profound effect on the global economy – stated by Manley & Heller in a paper titled Risky Bet: National Oil Companies in the Energy Transition and published by National Resource Governance Institute, (ii) The Petroleum Geoscience MSc course will be suspended at the end of the academic year 2020-21.
Our Petroleum Engineering MSc course will also be suspended at the end of the 2021-22 academic year. Suspending both MSc Petroleum courses provide us with the opportunity to reassess the skill set needed in today’s broader geo-energy industry, and to be able to come up with a new, fit-for-purpose MSc course offering for 2022 and beyond – Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London. (iii) Jaguar cars to go all-electric by 2025 as Jaguar Land Rover, JLR, plans a full range-of e-models by 2030 CNBC. (iv) NCDMB lauds Total for its confidence in Nigerian economy despite the delayed passage of PIB – News Express, 15 February 2021.
Emeka also spoke on the recently signed Final Investment Decision, FID, for the $3.6 billion Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemical Company, BFPC, methanol plant project, which is located in Odioma, Brass Island, Bayelsa State, and jointly promoted by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board, NCDMB, and DSV Engineering.
‘Five years ago, NESH identified and highlighted 10 projects which if completed timely will have a significant positive impact on the Nigerian economy and the No. 1 project on the list was the Niger Delta Energy Corridor Projects, which included the Brass Fertilizer & Petrochemical Project as the quick win the project, considering the business case that was already packaged by the Lead Promoter, DSV Engineering, he said Unfortunately, it has taken 10 years to get to the FID, but it also shows that we can achieve a lot in this country when we have tenacious and focused entrepreneurs and commitment and support by the government, and in this case, the federal government, he said.
Emeka, however, urged one of the panelists, Ben Okoye, Executive Vice Chairman, BFPC, to say more about the Methanol Plant project during the Panel Session.
And to speak on the current status of the NLNG Train 7 at the panel session was the representative of Nigeria LNG Limited, which is the pioneer trailblazing company in Nigeria’s Energy transition.
While Oilserv Ltd, a major indigenous Oil & Gas Services company spoke on the progress so far made on the construction of the AKK Gas Pipeline Project.
Realnews also gathered that the Niger Delta Energy Corridor Projects is a major foundation for Energy Transition in Nigeria and that the NESH will want the Federal Government to consider the promotion and completion of the projects as an urgent and top priority.
Having monitored BFPC from inception to the FID of the Methanol Plant project, NESH on behalf of Nigerian Entrepreneurs in the Oil and Gas sector, we will wish to commend and thank Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources, Mele Kyari, group managing director, NNPC, and Simbi Wabote, executive secretary, NCDMB for their uncommon commitment and support in getting the project to this stage and pray that they see to its completion on schedule, and at the same time incubating other projects in the Niger Delta Energy Corridor Blueprint,” he said.
At the inaugural NESH Oil and Gas Roundtable, NESH Peace Honors was presented to Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, immediate past minister of state, petroleum resources, and the late Maikanti Baru, immediate past GMD, NNPC for the important supportive roles they played in bringing relative peace in the Oil and Gas producing areas in the Niger Delta region, following the crisis that erupted after the 2015 national elections. The NESH plans to present the NESH Champion Honors to Timipre Sylva, Mele Kyari, and Simbi Wabote.
We plan at the next opportune moment, to present the NESH Champion Honors to the trio of Timipre Sylva; Mele Kyari, and Simbi Wabote for jumpstarting the Niger Delta Energy Corridor Projects,” he said.
He thanked all those present at the meeting, including the sponsors of the annual roundtable discussion, and also asked the members to use the moment to observe a one minute silence for compatriots in the oil and gas sector, who have died since after our 3rdNESH Oil and Gas Roundtable, most notably, Festus Marinho, the pioneer GMD of the NNPC, and Maikanti Baru, the immediate past GMD of the NNPC.
He gave thanks to the distinguished speakers and panelists for honoring the invitation, most especially Prof. Okey Oramah, President & Chairman of the Board, Afrexim Bank, Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, Chairman, Independent Petroleum Producers Group, IPPG, whom we contacted only a few days ago, and Asishana B. Okauru, Director General, Nigeria Governors Forum. Without our Partners/Sponsors, NESH may not be hosting this event and we most sincerely appreciate the following organizations: Nigeria LNG Company; Afrexim Bank; NCDMB; NNPC; Seplat; Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, Ibru Group; and Oilserv Ltd,” he said.
Present at the online discussion were Bitrus Nabasu, permanent secretary, federal ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mele Kyari, group managing director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Alfred Diete Spiff, Amanyanabo of Twon Brass and chairman, Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, Yusuf Usman, chief operating officer, NNPC and chairman, Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical Company, and many other eminent special guests of honour; panelists and participants.
Realnews reports that the NESH since its inception has provided an avenue through which networking, benchmarking, thought leadership, and engagement are discussed, knowledge is exchanged and contributions of entrepreneurs have been appreciated.
Feb. 24, 2021 @ 18:05 GMT
A.I
Tags: Afrexim Bank NCDMB Alfred Diete Spiff Amanyanabo of Twon Brass Ben Okoye Bitrus Nabasu Mele Kyari Nigeria and Entrepreneurship Summit. Nigeria LNG Company Nigeria LNG Limited NNPC Oilserv Ltd Simbi Wabote Timipre Sylva Yusuf Usman
