Oil
SPDC pioneers manufacture of first Made-in-Nigeria carbon steel pipes
The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC)’s Local Content initiative has recorded another major success as The first set of carbon steel pipes manufactured in Nigeria for SPDC’s Trans Niger Pipeline is now ready for use.
“This is a perfect example of promoting the use of locally manufactured goods and Nigerian service companies in production operations, projects and well engineering,” said Igo Weli, General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, SPDC. “And it supports the Federal Government’s drive to increase Nigerian participation in the oil and gas industry.”
In accordance with SPDC’s safety guidelines, the line pipes have successfully passed quality assurance and control tests. The original line pipe contract for $37 million was agreed with Nigerian manufacturer SCC Nigeria Limited in the third quarter of 2011, and work began immediately. The manufacturing facility was established, contractor staff trained and the first batch of line pipe delivered within 12 months of the contract award.
Acknowledging SPDC’s contribution, Ernest Nwapa, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board said: “SPDC has continued to demonstrate its support for Nigerian content development. This is an example we wish to see replicated across the Nigerian oil and gas industry.”
Shell companies in Nigeria are also supporting the Nigerian Institute of Welding (NIW) to establish a world-class testing centre in Benin, Edo State, with the objective of training welders who will provide the workforce needed in the industry. Shell companies in Nigeria have facilitated meetings between Nigerian entrepreneurs and their counterparts in Britain and China to explore partnership opportunities.
In 2007, SPDC started the Community Content Initiative to address the needs of communities and community vendors in search of opportunities to render goods and services to the oil and gas industry.
Shell companies in Nigeria have won three separate awards this year in recognition of their local content performance. They won the Excellence in Local Content – 2011 award at the Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) Conference in February, while the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) handed out the Leadership in Local Content award to the Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston in May. Also, the National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC) at their annual conference in Lagos on 30th August, conferred on Shell Companies in Nigeria, Local Content Empowerment Company of the year.
Oil
FG Introduces New Incentives To Revitalize Nigeria’s Oil & Gas Industry
In a strategic move to revitalize Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, the Federal Government has unveiled two key fiscal incentives aimed at attracting investment and enhancing energy security.
The announcement was made by Mr. Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy on Wednesday.
The first initiative, the Value Added Tax (VAT) Modification Order 2024, introduces critical exemptions for essential energy products and infrastructure, including Diesel, Feed Gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Electric Vehicles, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure, and Clean Cooking Equipment.
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These exemptions are designed to reduce living costs for Nigerians, promote energy security, and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy alternatives.
The second initiative, the Notice of Tax Incentives for Deep Offshore Oil & Gas Production, offers new tax relief options for deep offshore exploration projects.
This measure aims to position Nigeria’s deep offshore basin as a premier destination for international oil and gas investments, boosting the country’s appeal to foreign investors.
These reforms are part of a broader set of policy initiatives, known as Policy Directives 40-42, endorsed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The directives reflect the administration’s commitment to fostering sustainable development in the energy sector and enhancing Nigeria’s competitive edge in the global oil and gas market.
Business
Tinubu set to approve ExxonMobil-Seplat oil deal, expands CNG bus initiative
By Yemie Adeoye
NIGERIA’s President Bola Tinubu has announced that the protracted ExxonMobil-Seplat upstream oil divestment will be formally approved by the Minister of petroleum within a matter of days, just as he announced his government’s intention to expand the Compress natural Gas, CNG buses initiative.
The President who stated this during his Independence day nationwide broadcast stated that the move is in line with his administration’s commitment to free enterprise, free entry and free exit in investments which is the hallmark of his administration investment policy.
“Fellow compatriots, our administration is committed to free enterprise, free entry, and free exit in investments while maintaining the sanctity and efficacy of our regulatory processes. This principle guides the divestment transactions in our upstream petroleum sector, where we are committed to changing the fortune positively. As such, the ExxonMobil Seplat divestment will receive ministerial approval in a matter of days, having been concluded by the regulator, NUPRC, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA. This was done in the same manner as other qualified divestments approved in the sector.”
The President also seized the opportunity to plead with Nigerians to be patient with his administration’s reform policies. “As your President, I assure you that we are committed to finding sustainable solutions to alleviate the suffering of our citizens. Once again, I plead for your patience as the reforms we are implementing show positive signs, and we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel”.
“Our energy transition programme is on course. We are expanding the adoption of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas for mass transit with private sector players. The Federal Government is ready to assist the thirty-six States and FCT in acquiring CNG buses for cheaper public transportation.
Fellow Nigerians, while we are working to stabilise the economy and secure the country, we also seek to foster national unity and build social harmony and cohesion. Our economy can only thrive when there is peace”. he enthused.
Oil
ExxonMobil To Invest $10bn In Nigeria’s Deep-Water Oil Operations
As part of the administration’s push to improve Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed support for ExxonMobil’s plan to invest $10 billion in the country’s deep-water oil sector.
Speaking on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, during a meeting with ExxonMobil executives at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Shettima called the investment “a clear testament to the administration’s economic reforms and investor-friendly policies.”
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This announcement follows news that international maritime company DP World intends to develop a multibillion-dollar port project in Nigeria.
Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, shared the development in a statement on Wednesday. He quoted Shettima as saying: “ExxonMobil’s potential investment aligns with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for a more investment-friendly Nigeria.
We are committed to fostering an environment that supports such transformative projects.”Shettima also discussed the administration’s broader efforts to improve the ease of doing business, highlighting the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which aims to simplify bureaucratic processes, enhance transparency, and offer fiscal incentives to attract global investors.
“Our administration has taken bold steps to unify the exchange rate, remove fuel subsidies, and implement tax reforms. These measures, though challenging in the short term, are intended to create a stable and predictable business environment in the long term,” he added.
On the oil and gas sector, Shettima mentioned that the government is revising the fiscal framework for deep-water operations to attract investment while ensuring fair returns for the Nigerian people.