Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, has reiterated the corporation’s commitment to position Nigeria as a global player in the international gas market, stressing that the country endowed with more gas than crude oil.
Mallam Kyari disclosed this while speaking at a Gas and Power Breakfast Briefing on the sidelines of the Gas Technology Exhibition and Conference (GASTECH) held in Houston, United States, yesterday.
The NNPC boss, who was represented by the managing director of the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), Dr Salihu Jamari, told his audience that, “Nigeria is more of a gas nation than oil and for us, gas is the future. We have, therefore, committed to providing the necessary support required to ensure Nigeria takes its rightful place in the international gas market.”
He described the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) as a very critical company for Nigeria, and appealed to prospective investors to consider investing in it.
“There are lots of opportunities within Nigeria’s LNG value-chain. I would like to assure you that the NLNG is the best destination for investment,” he added.
According to him, NNPC is working tirelessly to ensure that Nigeria’s abundant gas resources are utilised to fulfill government’s power aspirations by developing the gas infrastructure across the entire gas value chain and opening up the domestic gas market.
He stated that Nigeria’s approach in terms of implementing the energy mix is participatory, which in the long run, will make energy available to the citizenry by utilising the opportunities provided by the renewable energy solutions.
In his presentation, the alternate chairman of the Board of NNPC, Dr Thomas John, called on shareholders of the NLNG to maximise Nigeria’s abundant gas resources and generate more revenue for the nation.
“It is our hope that all the partners in the project will continue to carry the NLNG flag higher and ensure that the nation’s gas is put to good use to meet the expectations of all partners and increase the fortunes of the country,” Dr John told the audience.
He expressed delight that 30 years after the NLNG was incorporated, the project was growing fast, while successive managements have been able realise the dreams of its founding fathers.
“This is quite commendable and we look forward to seeing more progress recorded from this collaboration,” he added.
Dr John, who went down the memory lane, said one of his first task as the GMD NNPC in the 1980s was to negotiate the relocation of the Finima Community.
“I hope the current attempt to provide land for the NLNG Train 7 will equally be successful,” he observed.
In his remark, the managing director of NLNG, Mr Tony Attah, said the company has, over the last three decades, helped to make Nigeria better.
He emphasised that for the country to stay competitive in terms of cost in the global LNG market, the shareholders must look beyond NLNG Train 7.
According to him, the company is well on track on attaining the Final Investment Decision (FID) on Train 7, which would see its production rise from 22mtpa to 30mtpa.
“In the next month or so, we should be able to conclude on the FID for Train 7,” Attah assured investors at the conference.
NLNG is owned by four shareholders, namely, the federal government of Nigeria, represented by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (49 per cent), Shell Gas B.V. (25.6 per cent), Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France (15 per cent), and Eni International (10.4 per cent).
The actualisation of the Train 7 project comes as NLNG celebrates 30 years of its incorporation and 20 years since exporting its first LNG cargo in 1999.
SOURCE: leadership.ng