The Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has claimed the credit of gas flaring cut by upstream companies from over 60 per cent to less than 20 per cent since it commenced operations in the country.
Billions of cubic meters of natural gas is flared annually at oil production sites around the globe. The flared gas is a valuable energy resource that could be used to support economic growth and progress.
Managing Director of the company, Mr. Tony Attah said at the opening ceremony of the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit in Abuja that so far, the company had been able to convert about 191.5bcm (billion standard cubic metres) or 6.8ch (trillion cubic feet) of Associated Gas (AG) to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs).
According to him, in its current state, the company had significantly reduced the environmental hazards arising from gas flaring.
Flaring or deliberately burning natural gas produces as a by-product to oil can worsen climate change by releasing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas blamed for raising global temperatures.
The NLNG boss, represented by General Manager production, Engr. Adeleye Falade, noted that in the past 20 years of its existence, Nigeria LNG has become a major player globally with the export of over 4500 LNG cargoes delivered safely worldwide.
He said: “The addition of Train 7 to our current six-train plant will add another eight million metric tonnes of LNG to the current sustained 22 mil|ion metric tonnes production capacity of our plant. That will keep Nigeria prominently on the list of the top 7 suppliers of global LNG. This is an enviable position for an African country to achieve in the face of our evolving technological advancement which is managed by highly skilled Nigerian professionals of varying competencies.
“The very quick wins from Train 7 project for Nigeria is the creation of jobs for our teaming youths, netting up to 12,000 direct iobs at the construction phase as well as the associated skills acquisition through a deliberate effort at technology transfer.
“Nigeria’s growing response to the demand for cleaner energy sources to power the world has accentuated the critical role that our premium crude oil and natural gas resources play in that space.
“The focus of this year’s conference on ”Widening the Integration Circle: Technology, Knowledge, Sustainability and Partnership”, is a pointer to the fact that our country, and ultimately our continent is conscious of the need to strategically harness all these elements. They will certainly give us an edge to maximally benefit from the volatile and highly competitive global energy sector.”
Riding on the back of a robust Nigerian Content plan endorsed by the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Attah said, “55% of the Engineering activities for Train 7 will be carried out in-country and 55% of all procurement for execution of the project will be undertaken by Nigerian vendors.
“100% of the installations and construction will happen in Nigeria and the entire project will attract huge Foreign Direct Investment to the Nigerian economy. Other benefits include the emergence of upstream and other associated projects that will bolster our economy.
“The World Bank Group has a leadership role in gas flaring reduction through the Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFR), a public-private initiative comprising international and national oil companies, national and regional governments, and international institutions. “
