By Adewale Sanyaolu
Seplat Energy Plc, has unveiled plans to eliminate flares by 2024, through various gas utilisation projects.
Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Energy, Mr. Roger Brown, said the company’s primary commitment is to reduce its GHG emissions resulting from direct operations, adding that Seplat Energy have established a broad set of investment activities designed to reduce emissions from its operated facilities and offset residual emissions.
Brown, who was represented by Chief Operations Officer, Seplat Energy, Mr. Samson Ezugworie, at the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum 2023, said, Seplat Energy’s Flares Out project, which forms part of our commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050, is on schedule to reach the target of ending routine flares by the end of 2024.
In 2022, improvements in performance of the AG compressor in Oben and Amukpe, alongside regular asset integrity checks and other facility improvement activities, were effective and AG flare volume was reduced by 18.2 per cent at Oben (5.7 MMscfd against 6.97 MMscfd in 2021) and by 39.9 per cent at Amukpe (1.1 MMscfd against 1.83 MMscfd in 2021).
He said: “Our diesel replacement programme seeks to increase the use of gas, a less carbon intensive fuel for power generation and where feasible, solar power is also being considered. We are piloting solar at our Amukpe warehouse to power equipment on site and plan to power the security outposts located around our operations using solar energy in 2023.
“The company has committed $11.5 million in 2023 towards projects that will end routine flares in our operations, including $10.8million towards installing gas compression facilities at the flow stations in Amukpe, Oben and Sapele, and $0.7 million towards incineration at the Amukpe flow station,” he said.
On completion of these projects, Seplat Energy expects to improve its gas handling capacity and reduce flares by approximately 30 MMscfd in 2023 and 20 MMscfd in 2024, which will in turn monetise flare gas in line with its corporate strategy and the national flare gas commercialisation initiative.
He also reaffirmed the company’s aggressive and unwavering commitment to sustainability and energy transition.
He explained that its ability to maintain the lead in the Nigerian gas sector is hinged on a strong ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) framework, which has provided the strong foundation for Seplat Energy’s gas business and its decarbonisation projects.
Brown added that Seplat Energy has committed $1 million towards planting trees across Nigeria as part of afforestation efforts that will capture residual emissions. Its focus in 2023 will be on mobilising community stakeholders and completing land acquisition to enable the commencement of tree planting in Imo, Edo and Abuja.