Eunice Imo-Kalu
Lagos — Nivafer Engineering and Construction Limited, an indigenous steel fabrication and erection company, has completed and handed over the High Pressure, HP, Fuel Gas Skid for the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, SPDC’s Assa North-Ohaji South, ANOH, project.
The HP Fuel Gas Skid was unveiled, loaded and handed over to the SPDC at the Nivafer Construction and fabrication site in Lagos.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote, who spoke at the event, described the ceremony as remarkable as he noted that the Assa North Gas Development project was a very important project within the context of the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas programme.
He said: “As we have highlighted on several occasions, NCDMB is always pleased to celebrate achievements which have added value in-country and created job opportunities for Nigerians no matter the size or scale of such projects.
“The Assa North Gas Development project is a very important project within the context of the Decade of Gas programme launched by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR to bring gas into prominence in powering our economy.”
Wabote commended SPDC for driving the delivery of the gas development project despite the challenges.
He also encouraged the company to continue working towards the completion of the project and expressed excitement at the successful fabrication of the skid by Nivafer. He praised the company for a job well done.
The NCDMB boss said: “Let me take this opportunity to commend Nivafer on delivering this scope on schedule. You have proven once again that you can deliver when given the opportunity, which gives us the additional boost to ensure that in-country capacities are utilised.
“As an indigenous company with 45 years cognate experience in Engineering, Procurement, Fabrication, Construction and Installation services, you have kept the flag flying as one of the topmost fab yards in Nigeria.
“Your installed capacity of 6,000 tons per annum of structural steel works, 4,000 tons per annum of storage tanks, 2,500 tons per annum tons of process piping and 1,500 tons per annum of pressure vessels are part of the very vital data we utilise in the Board to drive the right of first refusal for Nigerian businesses.
“I am really impressed with your diverse capabilities, covering Fabrication and Coating of Separation Packages, Manifold Skids, Process and Modules, Heat Exchangers, Metering Skids, Flare Systems, Pig Launchers & Receivers, Condensate Stabilization Trains, Cladded Pressure Vessels, Storage Vessels, Offshore Anchor Piles, Floating Roof Tanks, LPG Spherical Tanks, Structural Steel, Pipe Supports, and many others.
“With a facility size of approx. 62,000sqm comprising of covered fabrication workshops, blasting and painting workshops, laydown work areas, and top notch equipment and tools for designs, cutting, welding, threading, and globally recognized certifications, I believe Nivafer has all it takes to play in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors.”
At the event witnessed by top management staff of SPDC, Nigeria LNG Limited, NLNG, Chevron, TotalEnergies EP and the chairman and board members of Nivafer Engineering and Construction Limited, the Managing Director of Nivafer, Chris Ijeli, said the growth of the company, which was established in 1977, was fueled by the Nigerian Content Act.
Ijeli said: “We have taken advantage of the NOGIC Act to nurture a company that is now known for world class expertise in the fabrication work in the oil and gas industry.
“Aside from this HP fuel gas skid being unveiled and loaded out for the Assa North gas project today, we have fabricated modules and manifolds for the Assa North gas project. We have also constructed a pressure vessel for the Saipem JV in Train 7 project.
“We have handled fabrication and construction of gas engineering assets for NIPCO.
“What we have here is a major milestone in Nigeria’s local content development”.
He commended Shell for partnering with the company, eulogised the Wabote-led NCDMB for leading the local content success story, and appreciated the Tokunbo Coker-led board of Nivafer Engineering and Construction Limited for support.
“The staff of Niverfer also played a key role in the successful manufacturing of this high pressure gas engineering asset for Assa North gas project and we shall continue to develop capacity for our team,” he concluded.
