Oil & Energy
NIMASA, NRC Law Volations Affecting NSIB Operations –DG
The Director General of the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Captain Alex Badeh, has faulted the continued disregard for the bureau’s establishment act of 2022 by the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NPA), and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NMASA) by refusing to remit the statutory percentage of their revenue to the bureau.
Badeh, who disclosed this while re-opening the bureau’s regional office in Lagos on Friday, noted that the violation of the law by NIMASA and NRC had continued to adversely affect the activities of the bureau.
Recall that the NSIB’s operational office was demolished to pave the way for development during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
But over three years after the office was pulled down by the former minister, Senator Hadi Sirika, nothing was done at the site as the space has been taken over by grass.
This development, according to the DG of the bureau, has caused an obvious setback to it operations, adding that the nightmare was ended through the help of the Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
He said, “However, our journey is far from complete. We continue to face significant challenges in fulfilling our mandate, notably securing the necessary funding to support our operations.
“The non-compliance with the NSIB Establishment Act of 2022 by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and the Nigerian Railway Commission in remitting the statutorily required percentages of their revenue to NSIB has severely impacted our ability to conduct comprehensive multi-modal accident investigations.
“The NSIB Establishment Act of 2022 stipulates that NIMASA should remit three per cent of the gross freight from international cargo, while the NRC is required to contribute five per cent of ticket sales and cargo charges.
“This financial shortfall not only limits our operational capabilities but also hinders our growth and effectiveness in safeguarding Nigerian lives”.
NSIB boss, however, appealed for the Federal Government’s financial support, “to enable us to effectively fulfil our mandate, conduct thorough investigations, enhance safety standards, and contribute meaningfully to advancing transportation safety across Nigeria”.
Responding at the event, Keyamo appreciated Badeh’s work, recalling how the NSIB office was pulled down.
His words, “A functional office owned by the NSIB was demolished for no reason, that was very sad and the DG spokes with me when I got into office and we have no choice but to make this happen and all the accolades should not come to me but to the DG NSIB for his drive and passion for this agency, which has driven this agency forward. This looks good, I thank you and all the other directors here seated.
“And on the issue of the non-remitted funds from the other agencies, thankfully my brother is here, the Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation.
“Please, thank him very much. I must tell you all that a lot has happened as regards making what you want to happen and a lot is still going on behind the scenes and very soon you will begin to see some change of attitude by the other agencies and you will have your funds. It may not be all of it”.
Meanwhile, an attempt to speak with NRC publicist, Mahmoud Yakub, was unsuccessful and he did not pick up repeated calls to his phone number, nor did he respond SMS sent to him on the issue.
Also, the spokesperson of NIMASA, Edward Osagie’s phone rang once and became unreachable afterwards and he did not reply to messages sent to him by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report.
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Oil & Energy
Navy Nabs Six Oil Thieves, Dismantles Illegal Refining Site
The Nigerian Navy Units under the auspices of Operation Delta Sanity says it has recorded significant successes against crude oil theft and illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta.
The Navy, in an updated operations, said the successes were recorded between Thursday August 29 and Monday September 2, 2024.
According to the information, on 29th August, seven large cotonou and two fibre boats operated by heavily armed oil thieves loading crude oil from an illegal loading point around Botokiri axis of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State were seized.
Also, on 31st August, six suspected crude oil thieves with 109 sacks of illegally refined petroleum products, four fibre boats and two wooden boats were arrested and seized along Ogboinbiri-Kasama-Azama-Isoni of Bayelsa State.
Again, on 1st September, two wooden boats and 328 sacks of illegally refined automated Gas Oil were seized at Otuogori community’s river bank in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Additionally, on 2nd September, 35 sacks of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil in a wooden boat were seized at Gbaraun area of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
These successes indicate the effectiveness of Operation Delta Sanity, and the resolve of the Nigerian Navy to sustain current efforts to rid Nigeria’s maritime environment of the menace of crude oil theft and enhance crude oil production for the overall growth of the economy.
Oil & Energy
Security Agencies, MDAs Owe Eko DISco N42bn – BPE
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc. has clarified that the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of the Federal Government, including the military, owed the power distribution company N42billion as the cost of electricity consumed and not N144billion.
The Bureau of Public Enterprise(BPE), disclosed this in a Statement signed by the Head, Public Communications, Amina Othman, at the Weekend.
According to the Statement, the Disco affirmed that its total outstanding debt was N144billion, of which the MDAs and the military owe N42billion.
“The Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc has clarified that contrary to earlier reports, the aggregate outstanding debt owed by consumers is N144billion, out of which, ministries, departments, and agencies including the military owe N42billion”, Othman stated.
The Statement said this was against prior reports that the MDAs, including the army, police, and other government agencies, were owing N144billion and had refused to pay.
The Disco said, “the clarification became necessary for proper reportage on the matter and to put the records straight”, it stated.
Recall that during a recent oversight visit by members of the House of Representatives Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, led by its Chairman, Ibrahim, the Acting Managing Director of the EKEDC, Mrs. Rekhiat Momoh, among other things, informed the members about the legacy debts owed the company by MDAs.
The committee had reported the acting MD as stating that the company was owed N144billion by MDAs within its operational area, saying she mentioned that the military, police, and various state government agencies failed to settle their debts, creating financial difficulties for the distribution company.
Oil & Energy
Unveiling Of Crane: Energy Infrastructure Set To Get Boost
Energy infrastructure, a crucial part of global oil and gas supply and the energy transition, are set to get a boost after a heavy lifting equipment provider unveiled the world’s strongest crane-equipment capable of lifting 6,000 tons, or 15 fully loaded Boeing 747 aircraft.
Dutch heavy lifting and transport services company Mammoet has launched a new type of crane, the SK6,000, which, the firm said, could be used for modules to be built faster and also “bigger than ever before”.
As oil and gas continue to be a key part of the world’s energy system—and likely will continue for decades to come—and as renewable energy developers aim for bigger wind turbines, the support equipment for installing oil and gas platforms, offshore wind equipment, and even nuclear power stations is becoming bigger.
Bigger cranes such Mammoet’s SK6,000 could remove some of the limitations of engineering and construction firms. These firms are generally limited by how much weight can be lifted when installed on a platform or turbine.
Cranes that can carry 5,000 tons and more can shorten the time of a project being erected on a site, onshore or offshore, Mammoet says.
“Limitations on lifting capacity force engineers to fabricate smaller modules than would be optimal; tying up site space and increasing the complexity and duration of projects,” the company notes.
“This limitation can also narrow the execution choices available during each project’s planning stage and the percentage of each project that can be executed locally.”
These days, energy companies and their contractors seek faster deployment of energy infrastructure, be it wind turbines or floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels and platforms for oil and gas production.
“There are so many supply chain constraints at the moment that need to be de-bottlenecked,” Gavin Kerr, Mammoet’s director of global services, told Bloomberg, commenting on the new crane.
“The bigger everything gets, you need bigger cranes.”
Moreover, the SK6,000 is containerised and can be assembled quickly on-site. This feature allows it to deliver heavy lift capability wherever it is needed, giving contractors greater flexibility in where and how energy projects are completed” Mammoet said.
“With the innovation of the SK6,000 crane, our customers can think bigger than ever before; pushing modules beyond the 4,000t and even 5,000t barriers. Its low ground bearing capacity also means the crane can be used all over the world”, said Mammoet’s Sales Director Giovanni Alders.
“With its long outreach, small minimum footprint and relatively small site impact, the SK6,000 greatly reduces the topside integration time.
“Needless to say, with larger building blocks you spend less time connecting and testing, and more time producing” Alders added
Energy companies do need faster permit-to-production times in both oil and gas and renewable energy to provide the conventional and green energy sources the world will need.
Wind turbine technology is evolving and making the hub height increasingly taller. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, the hub height for utility-scale land-based wind turbines has surged by 83per cent since 1998–1999, to about 103.4 meters (339 feet) in 2023. That’s taller than the statue of Liberty.
The average hub height for offshore wind turbines in the United States is projected to grow even taller from 100 meters (330 feet) in 2016 to about 150 meters (500 feet), or about the height of the Washington Monument, in 2035, DOE said.
In the oil and gas industry, new resource development is needed as demand for LNG grows and legacy oilfields mature and output declines.
If contractors can bring energy projects on stream faster, both oil and gas supply and the energy transition will benefit.
By: Charles Kennedy