Yemie Adeoye
6 January 2009
NIGERIA's current oil reserve life index has been put at about 45.75 years, while current oil reserves depletion rate is also placed at 2.23 per cent based on an estimated annual production rate of 730.90 million barrels.
This was disclosed by the Acting Director of Petroleum Resources Alhaji Aliyu Sabonbir, during the recently held quarterly media briefing at the Department of Petroleum Resources headquarters in Lagos.
According to him, recent statistics have shown that crude oil production for 2007 was 805.1 million barrels with an average of 2.21 million barrels of production daily (bopd), while 2008 2nd ½ technical allowable rests at 2.4 million bopd as against 2.7 million bopd in the 1st ½ of 2008.
The Director also pegged current average daily production as at August 2008 at 2.108 million bopd with current production from deep offshore staying at 458,542 bopd.
Sabonbir who was aptly represented at the event by the Director of gas Mr.Billy Agha also stated that four speculative survey companies are currently operating in Nigeria and these include Mabon Ltd, Veritas/Digital Exploration Ltd and TGS/Tatnet Nigeria Ltd.
The purpose of the programme according to him, is to further open up Nigeria deep offshore to aggressive exploration while still generating revenue for Government. These companies conducted these surveys (2-D and 3-D seismic surveys) at no cost to Government.
"PGS/DPR entered agreement to carry out a mega survey in the entire Nigeria offshore area with the objective to acquire a contiguous 3D seismic data-set that will provide a complete regional picture of the geology and hydrocarbon plays. The Survey commenced in the 3rd Quarter of 2008.
DPR is exploring other opportunities e.g. a special arrangement with WLL-Hydro services to conduct Basinal Studies of the portion of the Offshore/Onshore Benin Basin, Ikon Science, a geo-scientific company has submitted a proposal to DPR to conduct High Temperature/High Pressure studies in the Niger Delta. Discussions near completion. This proposal has the benefit of improving the temperature and geo-pressure regime of the Niger Delta, and would help in boosting hydrocarbon exploration efforts and success in the region."
In the area of seismic data acquisition, it was gathered that a total of one thousand four hundred and eight sq. km (1,088.967 sq km) of seismic data was acquired between April and September, 2008. " Four (4) appraisal wells were drilled during the period, seventy-five (75) wells were drilled and at various stages of completion between April and September 2008. Over 6,630 Oil and Gas wells have been drilled in Nigeria as at end of August 2008Average daily production deferment in Qtr-1 was 406, 493BOPD as against the current 397,697BOPD"
He said that the SPDC is currently making efforts to commence operations at the Western location and the remaining locations in the East. And that the affected companies include SPDC, Express, Elf (in western area), NAOC's Beniboye flow-station, NPDC, Dubri, SNEPCO's EA field and Cavendish while Cavendish's Obe field was shut down due to dry docking of the FPSO
Speaking on the marginal field operators, the Director stated that Pre- Commissioning exercise of Platform Petroleum Umutu/Asuokpo Fields production facilities is ongoing in OML-38, while Niger Delta's Ogbelle, Platform Petroleum's Umutu and Walter Smith's Ibigwe are currently on production. Midwestern's Oil began production in its Umusadege field in 2nd Qtr.
Midwestern's Oil conducted pre-testing of its Umusadege lact/prover loop system and moved facilities to site for installation.
universal energy stubb creek FDP, Allied Energy Oyo FDP, Prime Energy Assaramatoru FDP, Bayelsa Atala FDP and Midwestern Oil Umusadege FDP reviews are on-going and are at advanced stages of completion.
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And that is long the Nigerian poor and the residents of the oil producing states will continue to suffer from the hands of greedy Nigerian Politicians in cahoots with Oil Barons, MNEs, and other economic hitmen.