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223 firms jostle for gas development contracts

By Kingsley Jeremiah, Abuja
29 May 2019   |   3:08 am
Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, yesterday restated commitment to developing the nation’s gas sector as part of measures to increase local consumption of gas in Nigeria as well as export market.    Speaking as indigenous and international firms jostle for contracts to off-take Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs), in which…

Maikanti Baru

Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, yesterday restated commitment to developing the nation’s gas sector as part of measures to increase local consumption of gas in Nigeria as well as export market.
  
Speaking as indigenous and international firms jostle for contracts to off-take Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs), in which over 223 companies bid for the 2019-2021 sale and purchase programme, Baru said the Corporation is determined to improve the sector transparently.

Represented at the occasion by the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gas and Power, Saidu Muhammed, he said there was a need to maximise the value of Nigeria’s natural gas resources for the benefit of Nigerians and other stakeholders.

“As a Corporation, our current pursuit is to continuously grow our domestic gas supply and utilisation while also maximising value from our unutilised knock-off condensates and Natural Gas Liquid resources,” Baru said.

He said NNPC would in the coming months focus on expanding domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) popularly called cooking gas supply from established local sources, adding that the Group would spur investments in storage, marketing and distribution infrastructure in the sector.

“Through a transparent competitive bidding and evaluation process, we intend to enlist companies with proven investments in gas utilisation, storage, distribution and marketing infrastructure.

“The only way to boost consumption is to first make the product available. We are not only focused on lifting and sending it out, we are also determined on maximising value in-country, and growing the LPG market to the level it deserves,” he said.

According to him, the 2019-2020 NGLs tender objectives include, to engage reputable qualified companies to off-take NGLs for the domestic and international markets, ensure selection of off-takers is aligned with tested transparent and accountable procedures in compliance with the Public Procurement and Nigerian Content Acts.

Baru also vowed to sustain transparency in all processes, and select the best off-takers through a robust mix of big international players with strong Nigerian gas sector-focused companies to ensure supply reliability and local capacity development.
 
He noted that there was need to stimulate investments in the gas storage, marketing and distribution, saying: “Gas utilisation whether locally or internationally delivers value optimisation to the Federation.”

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