WAPCo’s Gas Supply Dips by 50% as Demand Falls

• WAPCo’s Gas Supply Dips by 50% as Demand Falls

Reduced demand, pipeline vandalism and inadequate supply have made gas supplies by the West African Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) to drop by over 50 per cent to 70 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) from the 150mmscf/d capacity.

Its Managing Director, Mr. Walter Perez, disclosed this during the company’s Agenda for Vendors Forum with its contractors and customers in Lagos. The firm transports 70mmscf/d to its customers.

He said the sub-regional gas transporting firm has the capacity to transport about 150mmscf/d, but noted that it could only transports 70mmscf/d being the total order placed by its customers. “However, if the request increases, we will transport more,” he added.

Perez said: “We have the capacity to transport over 150mmscf/d, but what we carry depends on our customers. Vandalism of pipelines had also affected the volume of gas transported before but lately, the volume had come back to normal.

“Debt is an issue too. We are having debt challenges from some of our customers but the company is working with countries involved to resolve it.

“Also, there are challenges of non-availability of gas, and during such periods, our customers used to look for alternatives, but our suppliers now have more than enough.”

The WAPCo chief said the forum was held to enable the company interact with its service providers. “We do this across countries that we operate in. We have done one in Ghana early this year. We will soon hold another one in Togo and Benin. It is to create a safety environment for our vendors and let them know how we operate,” he added.

WAPCo is a limited liability company that owns and operates the West African Gas Pipeline. It has its headquarters in Accra, Ghana, with an office in Badagry, Nigeria, and field offices in Cotonou, Benin, Lome, Togo, Tema and Takoradi, both in Ghana.

The company is a joint venture between public and private sector companies from Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana. It is owned by Chevron West African Gas Pipeline Limited (36.7 per cent), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) (25 per cent), Shell Overseas Holdings Limited (18 per cent), and Takoradi Power Company Limited (16.3 per cent), SocieteTogolaise de Gaz (two per cent) and SocieteBenGaz S.A. (two per cent).