NNPC Completes 539km of Gas Pipelines

• NNPC Completes 539km of Gas Pipelines

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on Tuesday said it had so far completed 500 kilometres of gas pipelines between 2010 to date as part of measures to expand gas pipeline infrastructure across the country.

The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, stated this in Abuja at the 2017 Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

He said the accelerated expansion of the gas pipeline system was sequel to the directive of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who mandated the oil companies operating in the country to support the nation’s power generation efforts.

Baru listed the gas pipelines so far delivered by the corporation to include the 196km Oben Gas Plant to Geregu Power Plant pipeline, 110km Escravos-Warri-Oben gas pipeline, 128km Ukanafun-Calabar pipeline, 50km Emuren-Itoki pipeline, 31km Itoki-Olorunshogo pipeline and the 24km Imo River-Alaoji gas pipeline.

He noted that all available thermal power plants in the country were currently connected to permanent gas supply pipelines.

Baru stated that with the realisation of the Federal Government’s aspiration to expand the gas pipeline network to all parts of the country, about 2,700 megawatts of electricity was expected to be added to the national grid in the near future

Providing details of the planned expansion of the gas infrastructure, the NNPC boss said the lines would be bolstered with the ongoing construction of the 127km East-West OB3 gas pipeline joining Oben to Obiafu-Obrikom.

He explained that the infrastructure was scheduled for completion by the fourth quarter of 2018, while the 363km looping expansion of the Escravos-Lagos Gas Pipeline System was expected to be delivered by the first quarter of next year.

In his address, the President, NSE, Mr. Otis Anyaeji, said the aim of the conference was to brainstorm and advise the government on how to use technology and engineering to achieve its economic diversification plan.

He also stated that the idea of merging power, housing and works under one ministry could only work in small countries with the size and population of a state in Nigeria, but not likely in Nigeria.

“Under a normal situation, housing is supposed to be on its own as a ministry because it has the widest linkage effect and impact of establishing manufacturing industries in the country,” Anyaeji said.