Nigeria Lost $3.5bn To Gas Flaring In 5 Years
There is an indication that Nigeria has lost the sum of $3.5 billion to gas flaring in five years between January 2014 to April 2019 in nine states of Rivers, Kaduna, Imo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Anambra, AkwaIbom and Abia.
This is even as the Carbon di Oxide (Co2) emissions reached 53.3 million tonnes, with an estimated power generation potential of 100. 3000 GWH within the period under review.
Information obtained by LEADERSHIP yesterday on Nigeria gas flare tracker website revealed that the expected penalties payable for gas flaring within the period under review rose to $2.0 billion.
Further findings indicated that 299.0 million Mscf flared over 62 months between 2014 to 2019 in Rivers state while 5.0 million Mscf flared over 23 months from 2014 to 2018 in Kaduna state.
It was also revealed that 37.1 million Mscf flared over 62 months between 2014 to 2019 in Imo state; 82.7 million Mscf flared over 62 months between 2014 to 2019 in Edo state; 349. 0 million Mscf flared over 62 months between 2014 and 2019 in Delta state while 170. 7 million Mscf flared over 62 months between 2014 and 2019 in Bayelsa state.
Added to this is the 858.6000 Mscf flared in Anambra state over 12 months between 2014 to 2015; while Akwa Ibom state flared over 25.8 million Mscf over 60 months between 2014 to 2019 even as 3.0 million Mscf flared over 34 months between 2014 to 2019 in Abia state.
Delta state recorded the highest flare at 349.0 million, followed by Rivers with 299.0 million and Bayelsa with 170.7 million flare.
This however amounted to $3.5 billion within the period under review.
To this end, the United Kingdom government through its Department for International Development (DFID) handed over improved version of gas flare tracker and oil spill monitor to federal government.
The tracker and monitor which were fully funded by DFID is meant to reduce emissions and gas flare in oil producing states particularly the Niger Delta region, was sourced from the US satellite agency.
Receiving the tools in Abuja yesterday, the director- general of National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Mr Idris Musa assured that the tools would be appropriately used and maintained for the benefit of Nigerians.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his immense contributions to environmental safety especially with the commencement of the clean-up of Ogoniland, which he said was almost impossible.
Musa maintained that he would interact with oil companies to enable them response to oil spill as quick as possible, even as he looked forward to more collaboration with Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) and FOSTER.
On his part, the country director of SDN, Dr Christopher Onosede pointed out that his organisation has been advocating for safe environmental practice as well as lobbying at the National Assembly.
He said that there are lots of issues in terms of livelihood of Niger Deltans saying that there should be conformity in the use of the tools.
On the cost implication of the project, he noted that he doesn’t want to bridge any confidentiality or agreement.
According to him, “It was fully funded by DFID and like any other bilateral or multilateral agency, DFID has a formal agreement with the federal government and once the agreement is in place, the implementing partner like FOSTER and SDN get involved”.
FOSTER is a DFID-funded initiative ttargeted at improving transparency and accountability in the Nigeria oil and gas sector.
Onosede emphasised that the focus of the project is not about the cost implication but the impact of the tool for the region and Nigeria generally.
Also speaking, the chairman, house committee on environment and habitat, Hon. Obinna Chidoka was optimistic that Nigeria would achieve zero gas flare as soon as possible.
He stated that the house is working to resolve many environmental issues like protecting the parks, trees and oil pipelines.
SOURCE: oglinks.news
