BREAKING NEWS, Energy Briefs
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THE Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, is anxious to partner with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, to secure its vital assets and reduce revenue losses to the nation. George Osahon, director, DPR, made the suggestion during a courtesy visit to Adesuyi Clement Dayo, Lagos State Commandant of the NSCDC, in Ikeja Lagos.
The DPR boss lamented the loss of revenue by the federal government through oil theft stressing the need for relevant authorities to work in partnership towards ensuring that the criminality was stopped. He requested for partnership between the DPR and the NSCDC in the area of enforcement towards ensuring that the law takes its right course on the perpetrators of the crime.
In his response, Dayo said the partnership was a welcome development and promised to work together with the organization. He used the opportunity to throw more light on the NSCDC statutory functions and activities within the state. He said the corps members have tried their best towards monitoring and protecting oil installations in the country, but frown at recent sabotage being experienced by the corps from some unpatriotic members of the public.
He used the same forum to ask for assistance from the DPR and other relevant bodies in the area of logistics. This, he believed would go a long way in assisting the corps towards monitoring of oil installations and other critical infrastructures within the state.
Aircraft for Pipelines Surveillance
THE federal government is to begin the surveillance of oil pipelines in the country with aircraft manned by Nigerian pilots. Oluwole Oluleye, executive secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, said the pilots would be effectively trained by the agency in line with international standards to help in the fight against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
Oluleye said the pilots would be contracted to survey the pipelines’ right of way in order to monitor them, identify crude theft points and provide the necessary information for the federal government to take the requisite action. He further stated that the PTDF was also collaborating with the military in ensuring the effective surveillance of pipelines’ and petroleum assets across the country. “PTDF has undertaken the training of 20 Nigerians as pilots. They will do the real surveillance, through piloting of our oil and pipelines right of way and other facilities in the country. The reason is because we have to sustain oil and gas facilities. We have to ensure that they are well protected. Of course, if we have pilots that can carry out that responsibility, it is a huge contribution in saving the cost of maintenance, repair or replacement of some of the broken down pipelines.
“PTDF is actually contributing towards that direction and I believe that over time, we are going to come to the front burner to ensure that Nigerians get the recognition and value addition for their money. We trained even military personnel in our scholarship programmes in some of the trainings that will help them maintain effective surveillance across our pipeline right of ways in the country. Collaboration is ongoing and is effective too,” he said.
Cart Before the Horse
THE Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has called on the federal government to allow the roadmap for power generation and distribution to fully come on stream before contemplating a tariff increase. PENGASSAN, in a statement said any increase in electricity tariff would be rejected.
“We watch with dismay and unbelief as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission braces up to implement its decision on pricing regime of electricity even as Nigerians groan under an irregular supply of the commodity nationwide. At first glance, unsuspecting observers and watchers of policy somersault and abuse in the country may be tempted to fall in line with the reasoning advanced by the chairman of the Nigerian electricity regulatory body, Sam Amadi. His argument, however, flies in the face when considered with the objective realities on the ground.”
The union said the situation on the ground showed that even with the colossal amount that had been committed into power generation in the last 10 years, Nigeria, with over 160 million people, has been able to generate only 4,347 megawatts. It said Ghana, with a population of less than 25 million people, was generates 14,673MW; while South Africa, with a population of about 45 million people, generates well over 42,000MW of electricity for its people. “What South Africa generates is an amount 10 times more than the best our country has been able to generate with the outrageous amount so far spent in accumulating electricity for the use of the people,” PENGASSAN said.
The statement noted that corruption had been at the root of government’s inability to generate enough electricity for the people. “We, therefore, charge the government to be more committed in its fight against this cankerworm and to do everything possible to give Nigerians a new lease of life and hope in the survival of this nation and its most disadvantaged population,” the union added.
Total’s Road Safety Convention
A TWO-DAY convention organised by Total Plc for participants in Africa and the Middle East had ended in Tunisia. The conventions held from October 1 to 2, had series of working sessions addressing four central focuses: managing drivers, managing vehicles, managing delivery routes and managing health, safety, environment and quality, HSEQ.
Total’s mandatory transportation standards and management techniques were reviewed, and return on experience and best practices were shared with transporters. The convention bolstered existing programs and systems such as PATROM, the Transportation Management System, TMS, Transporter Inspection and the Golden Rule on Traffic (1) which offered a unique opportunity to more effective network with its partners to tangibly improve petroleum products road transportation safety in Africa and the Middle East.
About 600 representatives of the 300 transporters with which Total’s Marketing and Services’ affiliates have contracts in Africa and the Middle East will be meeting at a series of conventions to be held successively in Tunis, Ouagadougou, Kampala and Douala between October 2013 and January 2014. All will be attended by members of the Management Committee of Total Marketing & Services’ Africa and Middle East Division.
Compiled by Anayo Ezugwu and Chinwe Okafor
— Oct. 14, 2013 @ 01:00 GMT
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