The Federal Government of Nigeria, with the machinery of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), is ready to start oil and gas exploration in Ogun State.
This action is aimed at making Ogun state to be an oil producing State.
Stakeholders in the oil industry, including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, Managing Director, SHELL Petroleum Development Company Ltd, Mr. Osagie Okubor; Chief Executive, Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe and the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, Mr Mele Kyari, were in Ogun State on Friday in an approach by Federal Government in the commencement of oil exploration in the state.
They were welcomed by Governor Dapo Abiodun and his Deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele.
At the governor’s office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Hon. Lokpobiri, said that the state has always been part of the Dahomey Basin with prospect of having huge deposit of hyrdro-carbon.
The Minister stated: “We decided that we are going to resume exploration in the different Basins; we decided to come to Ogun State to reassure the people that we have very high potential of discoveries here. Ogun has always been part of the Dahomey Basin and our presence underscore the seriousness the federal government attaches to the exploration activities that we want to carry out in Ogun State.”
Hon. Lokpobiri buttress that oil and gas remain the fastest way to Nigeria’s economic prosperity, he added that his team is in the State in continuation of the campaign for exploration activities.
He said the visit was also to reveal the zeal and passion of the federal government to maximize its revenue generation through investment in the oil and gas sector.
While interacting Mr. Mele Kyari the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) stated that Ogun State is blessed to be in the Dahomey Basin corridor with expected high deposit of oil, assuring that the corporation is coming back soon to start exploration activities, while expressing assurance that oil would be found in commercial quantity.
In his remarks, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, Executive Director, Nigerians Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, stated that the coming of the team to Ogun State is to showcase the commitment of the Federal Government to grow the oil reserves and enhanced federation revenue.
Komolafe emphasize that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) makes provision for the funding of the development of the Frontier Basins, adding that in line with the commitment and the aspirations of the government, the Nigerian Petroleum Regulatory Commission is working in tandem with the NNPCL to leverage on the PIA to catiously carry out oil exploration in the Dahomey Basin.
Commenting, Governor Abiodun said Ogun State is among the OPLs 302,303 306, 307, emphasizing that the acreages present distinct opportunities for the qualification as a Frontier Exploration State as defined in the PIA section 9.
Dapo Abiodun however stated that Nigeria holds the second largest resolves in the world of 42,b tons, adding that a lot of studies have shown the potential of the basins, which brings Ogun State to spotlight and showcasing it towards becoming a beneficiary to achieve commercial success and derive economic benefits from exploration and production within a minimum time frame.
The Governor noted that the state region provides easy mobility and robust government intervention.
