- The NNPC has blamed the insecurity in the north for the stop in search for oil
- It said its location for drilling would have been under construction if not for the situation
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that the problem of insecurity has stalled the commencement of oil exploration in the north.
The Nation reports that Dr. Mazadu Bako who is the general manager of Frontier Exploration Services of NNPC made this known at the 50th anniversary celebration of Geology Department, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
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He said: “If the security situation was not the way it is by today, our locations for drilling would have been ongoing in construction.”
Bako who spoke through Alex Tarka, the deputy manager of Benue Trough Operations at NNPC said the department has produced scientists that have contributed towards the extractive industry.
He said: “Let us take a quick look at NNPC exploration efforts in some inland basins in Nigeria, starting with the Chad basin. Between 1976 and 1996 a total of 33, 000 kilometers of 2D seismic data were acquired, processed and interpreted, which led to the drilling of 3wells in the Chad basin.
“I have the honor to let my department know that as 1992, I was one of the geologists in one of the wells. Only two out of the 21 wells, the Uwadi and Kinasa recorded non- commercial gas while the other 21 were driven from 2008 to 2017. Just last year, a total of 1,962.20 square kilometers of 3D seismic data were acquired, processed and interpreted and prospects have been identified. Plans to commence drilling of the matured prospects have commenced.”
Meanwhile, hundred of youths of Ogoni nationality in Rivers state came out to protest at the entrance gate of the NNPC in Port Harcourt.
The group under the aegis of Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates (KSA) stormed the premises of the NNPC in the early hours of Wednesday, December 20, to stage a peaceful protest.
They were there to demand an immediate halt on the planned resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.
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Source: Naija.ng
ROSY CREST
Wednesday, 31 January 2018