23 September 2013, Abuja – The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has lauded the National Economic Council (NEC) for approving about N15 billion as part of measures for adequate policing of oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta region to stem crude oil theft.
NNPC also commended the efforts of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in pushing through reforms in the country’s petroleum industry, saying such efforts have yielded results.
A statement from the corporation yesterday in Abuja, stated that the rise in crude oil production in the country to about 2.4 million barrels per day (mbpd) was as a result of such recent action taken by Alison-Madueke.
The statement, which was signed by the acting Group General Manager Public Affairs of the NNPC, Tumini Green, stated that: “In the wake of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft which resulted in the shutdown of three major trunk lines, Trans Niger Pipeline, the Nembe Greek Pipeline and the Tebidaba-Brass Pipeline, accounting for shut-in of 400,000 barrels per day, the Minister of Petroleum Resources has taken some proactive measures which are already yielding results.
“Part of the measures taken by the minister was escalating the issue to the highest level leading to the setup of a security strategy committee headed by the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan which has resulted in the restoration of the three lines.
“The feat recorded by the minister will enhance increased production and shore up the revenue accruing to the country.”
Green also declared that the rise in crude oil production in the country to 2.4 million barrels per day was as a result of the recent action taken by Alison-Madueke.
She implored Nigerians to spare time to understand the negative impact of crude oil theft on efforts to meet production target, thus, calling on all well-meaning people in the country to support the government towards ending the scourge.
Green further assured Nigerians that the N15 billion NEC approval for adequate policing of oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta region to stem crude oil theft would go a long way in curbing the menace.
The NNPC spokesperson equally extolled the minister for putting modalities in place to grow crude oil production in the country.
She enumerated as part of the major achievements of the minister in recent time to include sustained petroleum products supply and distribution across the country, revamping of PPMC depot/recovery of vital petroleum products supply pipelines, as well as ongoing rehabilitation and Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the three refineries.
Green added that the achievement of the minister in the recent growth in crude oil and gas production of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) was made possible by the assignment of new Oil Mining Leases (OML).
Also listed among the achievements of the minister in the gas sub-sector by Green included; the unprecedented level of gas supply, especially the domestic gas supply for power generation, industrial use and household, determined efforts by the minister to fully tap the potentials of the gas subsector by putting in place the presidential gas revolution agenda.
“Other feats included; the implementation of the Domestic Gas Supply Obligation (DGSO) by the signing of relevant Gas Supply Purchase Agreement (GSPAs) amongst buyers, gas suppliers and the aggregator company and completion of the engineering studies of Calabar – Umuahia – Ajaokuta – Kaduna – Kano Gas Pipeline or otherwise called the Trans-Nigerian Gas Pipeline (TNGP),” she stated.
She further said the development of gas network code, which would facilitate access to gas pipeline network by companies and the development of the Ogidigben gas-based industrial city with the following major industries, fertilizer plants, petrochemical plants and Ob/Ob central processing as some of the achievements of Alison-Madueke.
– Chineme okafor, This Day