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IADC tasks operators on drilling efficiency, environmental protection

The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Nigeria chapter, has charged practitioners to improve drilling efficiency, safety standards and environmental protection in the country.

Enwereji

The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Nigeria chapter, has charged practitioners to improve drilling efficiency, safety standards and environmental protection in the country.

The association reminded members not to lose focus on the technical aim of forming the organization, which was centred on promoting advocacy for sensible regulation, relations with regulatory agencies to improve the relevance of the government’s policies and legislations.

The Chairman, IADC Nigeria chapter, Chukwudi Enwereji gave the charge at the association’s 10th yearly general meeting which was held in Lagos.

Enwereji called on members to commit to professionalism, adding that the 2022 African drilling conference in Ghana would require avenues to explore business opportunities.

He said: “It is time to promote indigenous African exhibitors for our conferences, to take advantage of a ripe energy market on the continent. Oil markets have stabilised with demand now expected to reach pre-pandemic levels in 2022. According to OPEC projections, after the recovery, global oil demand is expected to grow further to 104.4 million barrels per day by 2026.

“In the wider energy perspective, the oil will remain the number one fuel in the energy mix until 2045. Even though wind and solar energy will see by far the highest growth in this time frame, questions around evolving policies and technologies mean that the long-term energy outlook remains uncertain.”

He further said: “As oil prices rally around the $80 per barrel mark, we are set to see activity loaded 2022. There is a slight increase in the number of active rigs within the country. We have moved from 10 active rigs in February to 16 active rigs at the end of August 2021. As the first vaccine rollout was largely successful, most organizations have gone back to work.

“We have 10 jack-up rigs in the shallow water space, three of them are active, one more is set to commence work by December this year, while about five Jack-up rigs are on standby with one stack.

“The swamp market has a total of 12 rigs in the country with two active rigs, three on standby and another seven stacked. In the Deepwater space, we have only one active Drillship in-country.”

The Chairman lauded members for their commitment to promote the association, adding that there is still room for improvement.

He explained that it is certain that the global population will expand, and economies will grow, coupled with an ambition to address energy poverty and provide energy access for all, stressing this means the demand for energy will rise significantly.

In his remarks, HSE Supervisor, OES Energy Services Limited, Appeal Ofoh, who spoke on “Covid-19 –extending the herding effects,” noted that the pandemic altered the dynamics of rig operations.

He however called for modification of past procedures and improved social cohesion among members.

“Members should come together as herds to be cohesive and collectively confront challenges facing drilling contractors,” he said.

On his part, the association vice-chairman, Valentine Iheasirim, emphasised conformity to standardisation of rigs operations to minimise risks.

He noted that deep-water rig operations should not involve human interactions but automation for a safe working environment even though it is capital intensive.

Iheasirim pledged that the association will continue to push for a safe working environment for workers.

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