Buhari flags off second crude oil drilling project in North-central, Nigeria
Oredola Adeola
The outgoing Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, has flagged off the Ebenyi-A exploration crude oil well located in Obi Local government Area of Nasarawa State, which is now the second North-central oil-producing state, after the allocation of the ‘Oda River-1’ oil wells to Kogi state.
The Ebenyi-A project was inaugurated almost four months after the take-off of the Kolmani Integrated Development Project (KIPRO) located in the boundary of Bauchi and Gombe states.
Buhari who joined the ceremony virtually on Tuesday, charged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) and its partners to take due care of the environmental consequences of the oil exploration activities and to mitigate the negative effects.
According to the outgoing President, the new oil discovery was in line with the ongoing campaigns for the exploration of crude oil and gas in the nation’s Frontier Basins.
Buhari said other frontiers basins targeted by the administration include the Chad Basin, Dahomey Basin, Anambra Platform, the Calabar Embankment, Sokoto Basin, Bida Basin, Benue Trough as well as the Ultra-Deepwater Niger Delta.
He said, “The official commencement of exploration drilling activities in the Middle Benue Trough, is in line with the commercial discoveries of hydrocarbons in the Kolmani Area of the Upper Benue Trough.
“I am pleased to note that activities are currently ongoing to develop the Kolmani petroleum discoveries to commercial production to add to the nation’s considerable hydro-carbon assets.
While commending the NNPCL, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and other partners for their immense contributions toward making the exploration possible, he noted that the positive outcomes of the drilling campaigns across all the frontier basins would lead to greater prosperity for Nigerians and especially enhance overall energy security for the country.
The outgoing President however commended the people of Nasarawa for their support and collaboration toward the success of the exploration campaign. He noted that the host community and neigbouring towns and villages would benefit from the economic values that would be created by the exploration and the eventual production activities.
Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, and Mele Kyari,Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPCL, performed the spud-in ceremony on behalf of Buhari.
EnergyDay gathered that existing ‘Oda River-1’ wells was allocated to Kogi State (North-Central) following the conclusion of boundary delineation between that state and Anambra state (South-East) by the National Boundary Commission (NBC) in 2021.
