Oilserv Limited, an oil and gas firm has advised the Federal Government to fight the issues of oil theft directly from its source as it is the only way to solve the pipeline vandalism disrupting the oil and gas sector.
According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Oilserv Limited, Emeka Okwuosa, identifying the issues from the source would require the efforts of government officials at all levels, from the local government up to the state government, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), International Oil Companies (IOCs) and oil producers.
The CEO further urged the Federal Government to adopt the use of high-end modern technologies and methodologies as part of the methods to solve the issues of oil theft.
Okwuosa said the United States uses Horizontal Directional Drilling, which is capable of making oil and gas pipelines invulnerable to sabotage, although acquiring such technology would require huge investments but in the long run, the sacrifice would be worth it.
Speaking in regards to adopting technology, an ex-naval officer, Rear Admiral Gbadejo Adedeji said securing an advanced technology would successfully monitor oil pipelines and reduce the incessant crude oil theft in the country.
The ex-naval officer stated it is high time the Federal Government pays adequate attention to the security situation in Nigeria, most especially the oil and gas sector as it is the nation’s wealth and should be handled effectively.
Rear Admiral Gbadejo clarified the importance of high-end technology, citing Saudi Arabia as an example, he said, the network of oil pipelines in Saudi Arabia is technologically sound and tight with a huge structure, making it hard to illegally access one drop of oil.
He requested the federal government to propel Nigeria in this direction as it is a country majorly dependent on oil and gas to service the country’s economy.