OGRepublic August Edition

ENERGY ADVANCE EVENTS
SAIPEC is a Regional Conference Attracting Players
Across the African Continent - ED Ubong
F
ollowing the successful editions of
t h e S u b - S a h a r a n A f r i c a
International Petroleum Exhibition
and Conference (SAIPEC), the President of
Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), and
Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Gas
(SNG), ED Ubong has described the SAIPEC
as the largest regional gathering, attracting
industry stakeholders, government and
players in the entire value chain of the Sub-
Saharan Africa oil and gas industry.
ED Ubong disclosed this while speaking in
an exclusive interview with Oil and Gas
Republic's Managing Editor, Ndubuisi
Micheal Obineme, at the sideline of the
2021 SAIPEC held virtually this year.
For Shell Nigeria Gas, Ubong said that
SAIPEC serves as an opportunity for the
company to share knowledge and
experience, as the SNG is fully committed
to helping Nigeria unlocking its huge gas
reserves.
He added, "Shell Nigeria is the most
reliable gas distribution company in
Nigeria. We have been operating for over
20 years; providing reliable and cleaner
energy to industries in Nigeria.
"Our current operations cut across Agbara-
Ota and Igbesa in Ogun and Lagos state.
We also have operations in Port Harcourt
and Abia state.
"We are looking to complete our
expansion project in Bayelsa while also
looking for opportunities to sort off expand
into Imo, the greater Lekki area and
Anambra state.
"We are playing an active role in that
energy transition. Gas is the cleanest
source of fossil fuel and, then, we are looking at
how industrial and manufacturing companies,
heavy users of energy sources can convert from
diesel and other liquid fuels to gas, which is a
cleaner source of fuel.
"At SNG, we are looking at retro-fitting some of
our current fleet where we will be moving from
PMS powered vehicles to gas powered vehicles
in the short term.
"We are looking forward to, may be having the
first gas retro-fitted vehicles available in the
SNG fleet before the end of the year.
"The vision for Shell Nigeria gas is really tied to
Nigeria's vision. How do we industrialize
Nigeria? Create more industries, create more
jobs, help states to generate internally
generated revenue; that is the role SNG will
play.
"We would enable industries to spring up
wherever there is gas. We would enable those
industries to build viable clusters that can
provide jobs for people, sustaining the Shell
bigger social development initiatives, and also
ensure that Nigeria begins to benefit by closing
its energy deficit."
On the other hand, Ubong noted that the new
council of the Nigerian Gas Association, will
manage the affairs of the association between
2020 and 2022.
He noted, "It is actually the first council for the
Decade of Gas and we are really committed to
lay the right foundation for Nigeria's gas
development”
Speaking on Nigeria's gas potentials, he
stressed that Nigeria sits on top of a huge gas
reserves, and the whole of West Africa is
looking up to Nigeria to unlock these resources
and help sort of provide the energy needs of the
rest of the West Africa region.
“A key requirement will be how we put in place
the right regulatory framework that will allow
upstream to bring the gas to the surface.
"We also have to build the right regional
infrastructure.
"Today, we have the West Africa Gas Pipeline
(WAGP) which runs from Nigeria through Togo,
Benin and all the way to Ghana.
"There is a huge opportunity to continue to see
how that line is fully utilized to help power the
energy needs of other West Africa sub-regions.
"There are always three key areas that of
concern to us. The first one is the regulatory
space where we are sure we have the right
regulatory framework that will assure investors
to invest in the gas sector in Nigeria.
"The second one of course is around
infrastruture; key infrastructures projects are
ongoing.
"The key one being the AKK line between the
East and West, the OBOB line; we are keen to
see the projects completed.
"Of course, the third area when you are dealing
with gas is always around safety. As Nigeria
attempts to grow its gas base we also need to be
sure that we have the right safety framework to
ensure that gas activities are carried out safely.
"For example, a key regulation would be the
'Call Before You Dig', which ensures that gas line
laid-in highly built areas are protected from
indiscriminate tampering and possibly damage
from third party," he concluded.
The Nigerian Gas Association is the largest
stakeholder body in Nigeria responsible for
advocating gas development in Nigeria. NGA
has over 200 members across the various
sectors of the gas value chain in upstream,
midstream and downstream.
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OIL AND GAS REPUBLIC I SPECIAL EDITION