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By Tony Udemba
Recently the nation’s oil and gas sector, recorded a giant boost, with the official unveiling and Load- Out of the newly constructed 20,000 bpd Oilfield production platform, at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony of the oilfield production platform built by Dorman Long Engineering Limited, Dr. Timi Austen- Peters, Chairman of the company, said that the platform was built by his company for the First E & P/ NNPC joint venture ( JVC) Anyala- Madu oilfield development. He noted that the project was strictly in adherence with the local content act provisions of the federal government of Nigeria, aimed at impacting positively to the growth of the nation’s economic development. He stated that, ” the production capacity of the platform is 20,000 bpd, and when in full operation, it can conveniently perform optimally what larger platforms will do. It can achieve all these at a unit cost well below 10 US dollars”.
The Dorman Long boss stated that the platform was fully constructed in the country by his company at the premises of the Nigerian Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island. He posited that the
company has the capacity to even build 2 or 3 or more of the platforms in order to achieve higher production output, saying ” we are well prepared. It’s a matter of learning from the work already done”. He stated that apart from Dorman Long, PETAN members also contributed immensely towards the successful delivery of the project, thereby ensuring that funds for the project were spent in the country in line with the provisions of the local contents act of the federal government.
Reviewing the entire project, Austen-Peters noted that the platform was a good job well done, adding; “the collaboration was top notch, and it ensured that we got value for money spent, through the deliberate protection of local content.”
Similarly, the Managing Director/ CEO, FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company Ltd, operators of OML 83 and 85 licenses NNPC/FIRST E&P joint venture, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi Beroin, was highly delighted on the milestone recorded with the timely delivery of the project. He noted that while considering the best way to go about it, they had three objectives in mind; how to achieve the project safely, actualize the provisions of the local contents act to ensure that the entire jobs are done locally by Nigerians, and how to generate more revenues to the government and ensure that the cost of the project is far cheaper than contracting it out to overseas companies. He recalled how they searched around the world for the best concepts for the platform, saying, ” we looked around the world in search of the best concepts for the job, and later discovered an interesting concept called the Conductor Supported Platform (CSP).As you can see it’s a small footbridge. If you look at other platforms, they are about 3 or 4 times about this size, but this platform can contain about 8 to 10 oil wells. We had already done the first platform in Port Harcourt known as the Anyala platform Which currently produces about 44,000 bpd, while this one is aimed producing at least 20,000 bpd. Like I said earlier, what motivated us to embark on this project include the need to deliver the job safely, ensure that jobs were done locally by Nigerians in accordance with the provisions of the local contents act of the FG, as well as to ensure that the cost of work were cheaper than what overseas companies could charge, and that we generate revenue for the government. Basically what we have done is to develop the needed capacity and capability for Nigerians to build smaller units of platforms in accordance with the provisions of the local contents, that are of international standards, and that can effectively do the same work the bigger ones can do”. He commended Dorman Long Engineering and members of PETAN for the quality work done and timely delivery, even as he gave kudos to the management of NAPIMS for the support and confidence reposed on them, and the Nigerian Naval Dockyard for making available it’s facilities in support of the project.
In his remarks at the event, Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr. Bala Wunti, stated that the official unveiling of the Load-Out of the newly constructed oilfield platform by Dorman Long Engineering Ltd was in fulfilment of the great efforts and visions of President Mohammadu Buhari in his 2019 initiatives towards the unveiling of a new NNPC to the world. Represented by Mr. Buduwara Zakariya, GM, Joint Venture Operations, NAPIMS, he stated that the newly constructed platform known as phase – 1B Anyala – Madu Oilfield Development project would boost the production capacity of the joint venture (JV) by 60,000 BPD. In his words, ” we are proud with the feats achieved by the FIRST E& P joint venture. From the successful delivery of phase -1A, Anyala – Madu Oilfield Development project, despite the Covid- 19 pandemic, and it’s sustenance without any health or security issues. We are fully committed to supporting the JV to the successful delivery of phase -1B Anyala – Madu Oilfield Development project, and ultimately boost the production capacity to about 60,000 BPD. It also has the capacity to eliminate gas flaring”.
Speaking further, he commended the management of FIRST E & P and project team for the hard work invested into the project, and Dorman Long Engineering Ltd for their good works and support”.
In the same vein, the Admiral Superintendent, Naval Dockyard Limited, Rear Admiral Hamza Ibrahim, assured of the preparedness of the Naval Dockyard to support the maritime and the oil and gas sectors with it’s facilities provided the projects are of mutual benefits to the Naval Dockyard and the concerned organizations, even as he recalled the existing long term relationship between them and Dorman Long Engineering Ltd and similar organizations. In his words, “by providing the enabling environment for the lawful activities of Dorman Long engineering Ltd, the Navy is contributing towards the national development, because the project by no means will contribute to the nation’s economy”.
He reiterated that it was the wish of the Navy to see Nigeria develop capacity in terms of self reliance in building facilities of this nature, noting, “don’t forget that one of the major strategic reasons of the Federal Government acquiring this facility is to enhance or actualize quest for sea power. The project you are seeing is an integral part of acquiring sea power and enhance the maritime activities in Nigeria, even as the Navy by the constitution is mandated to protect the maritime environment”.
