Adewale Sanyaolu

Although the dust raised by the recent discovery of hydrocarbon deposits in the Kolmani River II Well on the Upper Benue Trough, Gongola Basin, in the North-Eastern part of the country by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in October 2019 is yet to settle, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), again last week, announced that it has commenced radiometric survey in Bida Basin.

The development is however, raising fresh concerns among stakeholders who are calling for  cautious optimism.

Those in support of the discovery, argued that diversification of oil through fresh discoveries in other basins is a welcome development as it would reduce pressure on the Niger Delta, grow the country’s oil reserves, create employment and contribute additional revenue to the Federal and State Governments.

Those calling for more caution of the other hand argued that the zeal with which the Federal Government is searching for oil in the North-East region smacks of ethnic agenda, stressing that some other basins have been existing in other parts of the country without efforts targeted at carrying out exploratory activities on them.

For instance, there are reports that the Anambra and Benin Basins had been left without much investment by government to discover the hydrocarbon potential while the Sokoto, Gongola, Chad and the most recent Bida Basin have all received accelerated attention.

But President Muhammadu Buhari, made his stance on the matter clear on February 3, 2019 when he flagged off in Bauchi the current exploration effort that has now resulted in the sweet find.

“A key execution priority of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) is ensuring national energy sufficiency and this cannot be achieved through hydrocarbon resources from the conventional basins alone. Therefore, exploration in our frontier basins is a national imperative and a core policy thrust that must be sustained”, the president said at the event.

However, the President’s action appears not to have been marched with the same zeal as the Anambra and Benin Basins have not witnessed the level of investment desired.

Anambra Basin begs for attention

In the face of efforts targeted at discoveries in the North-East Basin, a former Information Commissioner in Anambra State, Mr.Tony Onyima, in an article titled ‘‘NNPC, Anambra Basin and the Search for Oil’’ advised that NNPC focus should now shift to Anambra basin which already has oil and gas discoveries but requires the same level of investment and energy.

According to him, the first serious search for oil in Anambra started in 2004 when Orient Petroleum Resources Plc was granted oil prospecting license (OPLs 915 and 916) and authority to construct a private petroleum refinery.

‘‘ In spite of the daunting challenges, which include the vicious politics of ownership between Anambra, Kogi and Enugu States, finance and choking economic environment, the company has managed to trudge on.

It has executed extensive 3D seismic data acquisition covering 640sq. kilometers in both OPLs 915 and 916 oil blocks, known to contain at least five hydrocarbon bearing fields. It is currently drilling two new wells (ANAR-4 and ANAR-5) in OPL 915 and has increased its production from 3,000 to 10,000 barrels. According to Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), a state can only join the league of oil producing states when its production company produces at 120,000 barrels and graduates from from oil prospect- ing (OPL) to oil mining lease (OML).’’

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He disclosed that the prospect of Anambra State attaining this status was enhanced recently when Sterling Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCo), operator of OML 143, started an exploratory drilling activities in OgwuIkpele in Ogbaru local government area.

‘‘Part of OML 143 oil block lies in OgwuIkpele and the rest in Rivers State. On November 27, 2018, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) revalidated the drilling permit granted to SEEPCo to “drill Enyie-2 as first appraisal well in OML 143”.

Bida Basin joins league

DPR recently announced that it has commenced the Radiometric survey of the Bida Basin in Niger state in line with Federal Government’s aspiration to diversify hydrocarbon exploration across all national basins.

Director, DPR,  Mr. Ahmad Shakur, gave the indication when he paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Niger state,  Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who was represented by the Deputy Governor,  Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso.

The Director said the objective of the Radiometric survey was to determine the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Bida Basin,adding that the exercise will cover twelve local government areas of the state.

Shakur solicited the cooperation of the state government in sensitisation of the people in the affected local government areas of the survey to ensure the safe conduct  of the program.

The Governor promised to give DPR maximum support including the provision of adequate security for the survey team.

He stated that the government of Niger state was delighted to have DPR, being  the regulator to carry out the survey in state which they expect will boost the economy of the state by way of job creation.

Shakur equally  paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Bida,  Alhaji  Yahaya Abubakar, to also solicit his cooperation and support for the Radiometric survey.

The Emir gave his assurance to provide support for the program and assist in the sensitisation of his people.

NAPE dispels ethnic agenda

Meanwhile, the highest bodxy of petroleum explorationists in the country-the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), dispelled insinuations that efforts that led  to the recent discovery of oil in Kolmani Well 2 in the Upper Benue Trough, Gongola Basin was discriminatory.

NAPE President, Mr. Ajibola Oyebamiji, said the discovery of oil in North East Gongola Basin was not an entirely new effort, saying oil and gas had already been discovered in that region with the drilling of Kolmani River 1 by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO).