Green Energy set to empower fishing communities with N2b electricity project

Plans are underway by Green Energy International Ltd. (GEIL), the operator of the Otakikpo marginal field in Oil Mining Lease, OML11 and its Technical Partner, Lekoil to provide the people of Ikuru community and environs with stable power supply to boost economic activities in the area.

Marginal fields are oil and gas reserves operated by indigenous companies, usually too small for production to be economically viable for large oil companies.
The project located in Andoni Local Government of Rivers State, which is projected to generate power and domestic gas production would not only provide stable power to Ikuru town, but also the adjoining fishing communities such as Ayama Ekede, Ugama Ekede, Asuk Ama and Asuk Oyet.

Part of the package to transform the area economically is the plan to encourage the communities to establish an industrial park, where companies can leverage on uninterrupted electricity for industrial use and small-scale industries. The total initial cost of the electricity project is in excess of N2billion

The Director, Sustainable Development, GEIL, Ayo Olojede, said in Abuja that the company is presently processing application with the regulator for the installation of a gas processing facility to extract liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and condensate from the wet associated gas from the Otakikpo wells.

Under its corporate social responsibility, GEIL and its partner have designed a scheme with the communities that would involve local entrepreneurs to distribute LPG within and outside communities.

He explained that the company also introduced a unique Community engagement strategy for embarking on community development projects under a Trust Fund of over N1billion in all the communities, even when no oil has been lifted from the marginal field, adding that the communities have become partners in progress for the project.

The Otakikpo Marginal Field was designed as a pilot scheme to demonstrate the applicability of Small Scale Gas Utilisation Programme (SSGUP) concept of the Federal Government, to eliminate flaring and promote gas utilisation derived from the field to energise the economic potential of the host communities.

The firm expressed the hope that the successful pilot will lead to more marginal fields embracing the concept, saying this will decrease gas flaring for small and medium exploration and production (E&P) companies in alignment with government’s zero flaring policy.

Meanwhile, the Technical Director, GEIL, Dr Bunu Alibe, said the company has commenced a production test (“MER test”), which is a critical milestone and also for the Technical Partner, Lekoil, towards meeting the objective of producing oil from the field.

The field, which has the capacity of adding about 10,000 barrel per day to national production output within a short period of time, has its six kilometre pipeline nearing completion.