The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) says it has committed $3 billion to reduce gas flaring through a scheme this year.

The commitment was contained in the latest edition of Nigeria's Oil and Gas, a monthly magazine published by OGP Ltd.

The firm's Managing Director, Mutiu Summonu, who disclosed this while receiving members of the Senate Committee on Gas in Port Harcourt, expressed appreciation for the committee's commitment to reduce gas flaring in the country.

He, however, appealed to the committee for a more pragmatic approach to solve the problem.

Summonu urged the lawmakers to ensure that the law on the issue they were about to enact took cognizance of the realities of the country.

"I know that there is a very serious drive around gas flaring. I will again plead with you to look at all the issues critically so that when we enact the laws on gas flaring, they will be laws that people can comply with.

"They will be laws that have taken into cognizance the reality of our situation," Summonu said.

Sunmonu noted that the Afam Power Plant, at present, was capable of adding 150 megawatts the national grid and expressed the hope that by the second quarter of 2009 when the plant would have been fully operational, it would contribute about 650 megawatts to the national grid.

The Committee Chairman, Osita Izunaso, said that the committee was in Port Harcourt to assess what Shell was doing to end gas flaring. (NAN)