Abuja — Moves by the Federal Government to build up the nation's proven oil reserve through exploration of new frontiers for oil and gas production received a fresh thrust yesterday with the news that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is putting finishing touches to a comprehensive framework designed to herald the intensification of exploration activities in the Chad Basin.

Also determined to ensure that the latest quest for a sustainable oil find in the basin meets with success, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison- Madueke, in line with a directive from the Presidency, has directed the corporation to leave no stone unturned in its push to strike 'black gold' in the prospective Chad Basin.

A statement issued by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs of the NNPC, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, quoted Alison-Madueke as saying, "Though it is too early to be categorical, there is a possibility that we may find oil in commercial quantity in the Chad Basin because of the discoveries of commercial hydrocarbon deposits in neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Sudan, which have similar structural settings with the Chad Basin. Therefore, it is prudent to aggressively explore the Chad Basin for possible hydrocarbon deposits."

Discoveries made in neighbouring countries in basins with similar structural settings are: Doba, Doseo and Bongor, all in Chad, amounts to over 2 billion barrels (Bbbls); Logone Birni in southern Chad and northern Cameroun, over 100 Bbbls; and Termit-Agadem Basin in Niger totals over 1Bbbls.

Already, the NNPC New Frontier Exploration Services Division, which is leading the charge for crude oil find in the entire Inland Basins, is acquiring 3,550 sq km of 3-D seismic data for processing and interpretation, in addition to the 6000km of 2-D data that is currently being reprocessed.

Ajuonuma stated that currently over 600,000 seismic sections and 30,000 well logs are being scanned and vectorised in good time for the eventual drilling. Before now, 23 wells have been drilled with two of the wells, Wadi-1 and Kinasar, encountering non- commercial gas.

He added that the New Frontier Exploration Division, which is headed by Engr. Olakunle Olaosebikan, is working in consultation with a renowned geophysicist and consultant to the United Nations, Prof. Deborah Ajakaiye, who is leading a team of Nigerian and foreign geologists/geophysicists in the search for hydrocarbon deposit in the Nigerian Frontier Inland Sedimentary Basins, NFISB.

"The search is not limited to the Chad Basin alone but covers extensive inquest in the entire Nigerian Frontier Sedimentary Basins, which include the Anambra, Bida, Dahomey, Gongola/Yola and the Sokoto Basins alongside the Middle/Lower Benue Trough," Ajuonuma stated.

He stated that as part of its corporate social responsibility to the host community and because of its proximity to the operations area, the management of the NNPC has granted approval to engage the University of Maiduguri to conduct the environmental baseline studies/impact assessment for the Chad Basin project.

"The corporation believes that such a study will help the university and the community to build its capacity. Already the community is benefiting immensely from the project through the employment of able-bodied local youths as linesmen, field assistants, store keepers, drivers, etc. These are critical components in the execution of this project," Ajuonuma stated.