NCDMB to boost operations of indigenous oil firms

THE Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, (NCDMB) has pledged to engage relevant government agencies to ensure indigenous oil companies operating within the oil and gas free zone in Onne, Rivers State, are not exorbitantly taxed.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Denzil Kentebe, who disclosed this when he paid a scheduled visit to the zone, explained that the Board would support companies operating in the zone to maximize their potentialities and address some of the challenges confronting their operations.

He charged the company to ensure that it restarts the manufacture of vessels aside from just carrying out dry-docking of vessels. He noted that the Board would begin to give first consideration to locally built vessels in tenders from 2016.

Intels Nigeria Limited, a concessionaire in the zone whose integrated logistics services are dedicated to the oil and gas industry, coordinated the tour.

Kentebe explained that the purpose of the visit was to get the industry to appreciate the capacities of companies operating in the oil and gas service centre and Free Trade Zone, noting that the Board was insisting on the utilization of locally manufactured inputs by the oil and gas industry and many of such activities were carried out in the zone.

He expressed delight that many of the companies were engaged in value addition activities and manufacturing of components, which according to him hold the key to real Nigerian content growth and employment creation. He encouraged companies operating in the zone to approach the Board if they experienced challenges, noting that the NCDMB was willing to support any company seeking to domicile its operations in the country.

When the team visited OneSubsea, the officials explained that the company was assembling Christmas Trees for ExxonMobil’s Erha North project and 70 per cent of the project team is Nigerians. OneSubsea Offshore Systems is a leading provider of flow equipment products, systems and services to oil and gas and process industries.

Officials of General Electric also hinted that they repair and maintain Christmas Trees for the Shell Bonga project and other deep-water projects. He added that the Christmas Trees were dismantled and assembled back in their facility and returned to the production platforms offshore.

Speaking after conducting the entourage through the oil and gas services Centre in the Onne oil and gas Free Zone, the Head, Public Relations and Nigerian Content, Intels Nigeria Limited, Isidore Sambol explained that his organization was committed to the realization of Nigerian content in line with the policy thrust of the Federal Government for the oil and gas industry.