Sunday, October 7, 2012

40 billion-barrel oil reserves possible by 2020 – NNPC



GMD, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu

GMD, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu
| credits:

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has reiterated its determination to work with other stakeholders to grow the nation’s proven crude oil reserves from its current level of 37 billion barrels to 40 billion barrels by the year 2020.

Speaking in Kaduna at a reception organised by the state government in honour of some illustrious sons and daughter of Kaduna State, the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, who was one of those honoured, said apart from ensuring an increase in the level of proven reserves, the corporation was working towards increasing production from the current figure of 2.4 million barrels per day to four million bpd by 2020.

The country’s crude oil production currently averages 2.4 million barrels daily after recording an all-time high of 2.7million bpd late July.

“As we endeavour to achieve effective transformation of the oil and gas industry in line with the Transformation Agenda of the President, our target is to ensure that we grow our proven crude reserves to 40 billion by 2020 and also increase our production to four million barrels per day by 2020,’’ Yakubu said.

The GMD also gave an assurance that the corporation, alongside its Joint Venture partners, was strategically focused on electricity generation through effective alignment with the power supply aspiration of the Federal Government.

He said NNPC was also working on the strategic upgrade of gas infrastructure in Kaduna and other northern states to help resuscitate the ailing textile industries in that part of the country.

Yakubu also reassured residents of Kaduna and adjoining states of adequate supply of petroleum products, noting that the Kaduna refinery was currently producing about four million litres of  petrol per day.

“The Kaduna refinery is one of the best run in the country today. It currently produces four million litres of petrol every couple of days and this has helped us to stabilise supply in Kaduna and its environs, especially at this trying period,’’ he said.

The GMD pledged that the plan to ensure complete turn around and rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries was still intact, as the major equipment for the maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery had arrived.

“Once we are done with the Port Harcourt refinery, Kaduna is next in line, and from there, we will move to the Warri refinery,’’ he  said.

Yakubu thanked the government and people of Kaduna State for the special recognition, noting that it was reassuring to know that “you are loved back home when embarking on a journey like this’’.

The event, which had Vice- President  Namadi Sambo as special guest of honour, and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammadu Uwais, as chairman, also witnessed the conferment  of awards on  theMinister of the Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Mailafia; Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Kumai Akaahs; and National Organising Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha.

In his remarks, Sambo commended Yakubu for piloting the corporation in the right direction, especially the recent effort to resuscitate the search for oil in the inland sedimentary basins, particularly the Chad Basin, which had recorded significant breakthroughs.

A similar position was echoed by the Kaduna State Governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, who praised Yakubu for his focus and sterling leadership qualities.

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Source : punchng[dot]com

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