Boosting Nigeria's gas sector
The recent disclosure that Nigeria is on track to becoming the world's second fastest growing LNG supplier after
Qatar is quite encouraging.
Dr Emmanuel Egbogah, special adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters who disclosed this at the 2009 Oloibiri
Lecture of the Society of Petroleum Engineers on "Nigerian Gas in the New Economic Landscape" said the Nigerian LNG
project had expanded to six trains since the first train came into operation in 1999, adding that the seventh train
was awaiting final investment decision. Other gas gathering projects in Brass, Olokola and other third party LNG
projects are also awaiting final investment decision, he said.
According to Egbogah, Brass and Olokola LNG facilities when completed will add over 30 mm tons of additional LNG
capacity for export apart from the current installed capacity of 22 mm tons of LNG per annum. On the regional front,
he said that Nigeria is well positioned and ready to supply gas to the West African sub-region. The completion of the
West African Gas Pipeline project (WAGP), which was conceived with the objective of delivering Nigerian gas to the
West African sub-region, is nonetheless another positive development that would aid the ambition of Nigeria to become
the second largest LNG supplier in the world.
Given the importance of the LNG project, especially its potential to validate Nigeria's economic leadership position
in Africa, the Federal Government must give the venture the attention it deserves. The Federal Government must
endeavour to handle the LNG project with all seriousness because of the huge addition which revenue from the project
can contribute to the national economy.
This is why the simmering Halliburton bribery scandal which must have contributed to the unfortunate delay in the
take-off of the venture should be speedily resolved while those found guilty of any misdemeanour in the scandal
should be appropriately sanctioned. It is intolerable that the attitude of top Nigerian government officials involved
inthe LNG bribery scandal involving the engineering subsidiary of Halliburton; Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) of the
United States has negatively affected the realisation of the project.
It will be recalled that KBR had admitted in a US court that it offered a $ 180 mm bribe to yet to be identified
Nigerian government officials to influence the award of various LNG contracts to the firm. In this regard, the Okiro
panel put in place in April by the Presidency to investigate the bribery scandal should not spare any effort in
unearthing Nigerian collaborators in the cheerless scandal.
Investment in the LNG project is particularly strategic for Nigeria as it will also provide an opportunity for the
diversification of the export base of the Nigerian economy. At the regional level, the project will facilitate the
integration of the economies of the sub-region in line with the objectives of the New Economic Partnership for
African Development (NEPAD) and the African Union (AU).
Considering that the rising priceof gas in advanced economies is resulting in a relocation of gas-based industries to
low gas priced regions such as Nigeria, the implication is that Nigeria will most likely experience an increasing
influx of investors in fertiliser, methanol and gas-to-liquid plants. The Federal Government must implement policies
that will enable the country to exploit this advantage. Apart from the expected influx of foreign investments, other
possible drivers for the growth of the LNG project include industrial consumers from the manufacturing sector which
is expanding its capacities and increasing demand significantly.
The ongoing reform in the power sector which is largely dependent on the successful implementation of the Gas Master
Plan is another reason why the Federal Government should pursue the project to its logical conclusion. The LNG
project remains a crucial driver in the growth of the power sector. Currently, the power sector consumes about 500 mm
cfpd. Experts forecast that the power sector will grow its demand for gas to well over three bn cfpd by the end of
2010.
It is imperative that the Nigeria LNG able to provide the full capacity to supply the required gas consumption. It is
for this all important reason that the on-going activities of militants in the Niger-Delta should be decisively
resolved. A peaceful Niger-Delta region will provide a desirable environment for the production of the LNG and other
related investments.
To sustain the envisaged growth in the gas industry, The Federal Government should encourage the training of
Nigerians to acquire technical and specialised skills needed to work in the various stages of gas production. This
would lead to lesser dependence on expatriates who possess the requisite skills needed in the oil and gas
industry.
To harness the proven gas reserves of 187 tcf or the estimated gas reserves of 600 tcf will require skilled manpower.
It would benefit the country more if enough Nigerians can be empowered to operate in the industry. Apart from saving
the country valuable foreign exchange, developing a critical mass of competent Nigerians in the sector will aid the
growth of technology in the country.
The National Assembly also has a role to play especially in the area of legislation against gas flaring.
Even though the legislators have given December 30, 2010 as deadline to multinational oil companies to end gas
flaring in Nigeria efforts should be concentrated on ensuring compliance so that the practice of constantly shifting
the post would end.