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Council Boss Restores Light In Abonnema …As Stakeholders Insist On Soku Oil Field

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The people of Abonnema
town in Akuku-Toru Local Government  of Rivers State have heaved a sigh of relief as light has been restored in the town.
The caretaker committee chairman of the area, Mr Otisah Christian Livingstone, disclosed this during an engagement meeting of the state APC contact committee with the local government area’s stakeholders in AKULGA and promised that his administration would consider the people first before any other interest.
The council boss revealed that about N10 million was spent to restore light in the area.
Livingstone who said his administration’s selling point to the people was to serve them better and promised to address other teething challenges facing the people in the area within the period he is in office.
The chairman remarked that at the state level, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has done well and that at the local government level, the caretaker committee would leverage on the governor’s good work to deliver the dividends of democracy to them.
Also speaking, the immediate past executive chairman of the council, Hon Theodore Georgewill, recounted that Abonnema would have became a seaport under President Yar’Adua’s administration but the project was stopped and taken to Bayelsa.
Georgewill further regretted that Soku gas plant would also have been an LNG project in Rivers State but was unfortunately stopped in order for Brass LNG to take off in Bayelsa, President Goodluck Jonathan’s home state.
“As the immediate past executive chairman of this local government, people from immigration and customs come here looking for an office. They said that the Federal Government under Yar’Adua want to open the Abonnema seaport. We were delighted and happy.
“We suggested area where they could have accommodated the facility because if this had happened it would have attracted business opportunities and created employment for our youths and Akuku Toru, obviously would have been like a small Bonny,” the ex-council boss said but expressed regret and surprise that as soon as Jonathan became president, the programme died and the project was taken to Bayelsa State.
“I am also aware that there was an intention by Yar’Adua’s government to upgrade the Soku gas plant to that of Bonny LNG. There would have been so many oil companies operating in Akuku Toru today but our neighbour said until Bayelsa LNG grows to that level, Akuku Toru should remain where we are,” he stated, and expressed confidence in Government Amaechi’s capability to fight for the restoration of Soku oil wells back to Rivers State.

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Oil & Energy

FG, MEMAN Chart Ways To Safe Petroleum Products Delivery

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The Federal Government and key Petroleum Products marketers have proposed new measures to help curb rising cases of road accidents involving petrol tankers.
This followed recent incidents of road accidents resulting in cremation of hundreds of lives and causing extensive damage to properties.
Speaking at the Discourse organised by Mejor Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) in Lagos, Thursday, with the theme “Improving Safe Transportation of Petroleum Products”, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, noted with dismay the number of casualties the country recorded recently due to tanker accidents.
Lokpobiri stressed the need for an  enhanced training for tanker drivers, installation of detection leak devices  as well as other safety systems that can assist drivers.
He called on Marketers and Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to strengthen collaboration with stakeholders, especially in the training of tanker drivers.
On his part, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpo Ekpo, reaffirmed government’s commitment to providing enabling environment to ensure safety of petroleum products transportation.
Ekpo, who was represented by Engr. Abel, said consideration should be given to more safety means of transporting products like the pipelines and railway line.
He stressed the need for better training for drivers and implementation of safety regulations within the industry.
Earlier, Chairman, MEMAN, Huub Stokman, said the Association has elaborate training manual for members truck drivers.
Stokman insisted that more training programmes and consistent adherence to safety measures would help to curb road accidents involving tanker drivers.
Also speaking, the National President, Nigerian Association of Raod Transport Owners (NARTO), Yusuf Lawal Othman, called for support.

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Benue To Pioneer Gas Production From Coal – NGEP 

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The Chairman, National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP), Prof. Mohammed Ibrahim, has said that the production of coal bed methane, an unconventional form of natural gas extracted from coal, is set to begin in Benue State.
Prof. Ibrahim staed this while addressing newsmen at the end of a joint meeting of the National and State gas expansion committees with Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia.
He said the Federal Government is committed to expanding gas availability in Nigeria for domestic use and mobility.
Ibrahim added that extracting gas from unconventional coal sources rather than traditional hydrocarbon reserves is a way to boost gas availability.
“Essentially there are four areas of implementation that the committee has identified. One is to pioneer the production of gas from what you call coal bed methane, which means that Benue is going to pioneer in the country the production of gas not from conventional hydrocarbon, but from non-conventional coal just so that the nation will have an alternative source to gas availability”, he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Benue State Gas Expansion Programme, Dr. Emmanuel Chenge, said the gas expansion initiative would contribute to the economic transformation of Benue State.
“The good news is that Benue is set to join the league of gas-producing states and if we are conversant with what being a member of the gas-producing state is, it shows that Benue State will start getting derivatives from that sector of the economy”, Dr Chenge stated.
The National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) was established to boost the exploration and utilisation of gas in Nigeria and make Nigeria a gas-based industrial nation by increasing the use of gas for transportation, cooking, and industrialization.

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NNPC Debunks Explosion Claim In Warri Refinery

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The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has said there was no explosion at the newly refurbished Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC).
NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, made this known in a statement issued on Friday night.
Soneye said reports claiming that there was an explosion at the Warri refinery were false and should be ignored and disregarded by the public.
According to him, the refinery was undergoing routine maintenance.
His statement read, “NNPC Ltd. wishes to clarify that there was no explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC). Any reports suggesting otherwise are completely false.
“On January 25, 2025, operations at WRPC Area 1 were intentionally curtailed to carry out necessary intervention works on select equipment, including field instruments that were impacting sustainable and steady operations.
“These intervention works are essential to ensure the production of on-specification finished and intermediate products, particularly Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Kerosene (Kero).
“The routine maintenance is progressing as planned, and Area 1 will be back in operation within the next few days.
“Despite ongoing interventions, over the past 11 days, AGO loading has been maintained at an average of eight trucks per day, with a sufficient supply available to sustain ongoing truck load-out operations”.
Soneye added that the NNPCL was committed to ensuring an uninterrupted supply of petroleum products from the refinery.
He said the company “appreciates the patience and cooperation of all stakeholders as it completes these essential maintenance activities”.

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