By Adewale Sanyaolu
The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) may have recoded one of its first gains with fresh vista of opportunity for indigenes of the oil rich communities of Ogoloma, Okochiri and Koniju communities in Okrika Local Government of Rivers State recently as Petrolan 54 opened its doors for members of its host communities.
The development will signal a growth in the country’s oil production figure and revenue as International Oil Companies(IOCs) divest their assets.
The event was the public presentation of Petralon 54,marginal field Petroleum Prospecting License No. 259 (PPL 259) to members of its host communities to signal the commencement of exploration of hydrocarbon resources in the oil rich communities.
Petralon Energy is an African exploration and production company with a demonstrable capacity to acquire, develop, finance, and operate oil and gas assets.
The move by Petralon to involve the communities as stakeholders in their business gladdened the hearts of members of the host community as they received the management with opens arms.
The company has revealed some of its strategic initiatives to enable seamless operations at Dawes Island and restart production to raise national output.
Petralon is notably in active engagement with the host community and its stakeholders in the Dawes Island Field to identify critical projects for implementation as well as create a formidable working partnership between Petralon 54 and its host/impacted communities. These include the traditional institutions/Council of Chiefs, Community Development Committees and other stakeholders.
The company has also actioned several technical and operational initiatives, including surface well head checks and first line maintenance of the existing well head, refurbishment/reinforcement of field location infrastructure, mobilization of early well test equipment and all required field operations support facilities. Upon completion, these projects will ensure a safe resumption of production activities at Dawes Island.
A peep into Petrolon 54:
Petralon 54 Limited is an indigenous exploration and production oil and gas company. The company holds a 100 per cent interest in PPL 259, which covers the Dawes Island Field, and is a subsidiary of Petralon Energy Limited, whose mission is to leverage its experience, expertise, and world-class delivery capability to grow true indigenous ownership within the sector, while redefining the relationship between oil companies and communities.
As a company, Petralon 54 Limited is excited at the opportunities this development will present to every stakeholder in this ecosystem, and has commenced significant investment in the asset, which has suffered neglect for more than 18 years years.
Going by its strategic plan to take the Dawes Island field to sustained commercial production before the end of the year 2022, Petralon 54 started well test operations in September 2022, an initiative which will result in sufficient data gathering that will enable seamless operation and contribution to national output.
The deal
In a remarkable show of acceptance, Ogoloma, Okochiri and Koniju communities in Okrika Local Government, Rivers State, found common ground in Petralon 54 Limited, an indigenous oil exploration and production company, recently granted the sole operatorship of the Dawes Island Field
Petralon 54, which was awarded Petroleum Prospecting License No. 259 (PPL 259) by the Federal Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in accordance with the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, have been actively engaging the community since the award, with the motive of discovering the needs and pain points of the community. These engagements culminated in a visit to the communities on Thursday, 13th October, 2022.
The talk-about-town occassion
The event tagged ‘Dawes Island Community Launch’ held at the Ogoloma Town Square had the rich culture of the Okrika people on display and attracted dignitaries from the three communities, including the youths, community elders, members of the Council of Chiefs, top government functionaries and the paramount traditional rulers.
Notable amongst those present at the Petralon 54 Community Engagement Programme, asides the Royal fathers, were: Honourable Linda Stewart Koroma, Member, Rivers State House of Assembly and Spokesperson for the Amanyanabo of Ogoloma Kingdom, Dr. Chris Biriowu, Spokesperson for the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, Chief Martins AteliKunumgbe, Chairman, Ogoloma Council of Chiefs and Engr. Alhassan Abubarka, and a representative of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The presentation
Leading the Petralon 54 team, which included Adeola Akinrinmade, Executive Director and Gboyega Aiyemomi, Community and Government Relations Manager, was Ahonsi Unuigbe, Founder Petralon 54 Limited.
He formally presented the company’s Petroleum Prospecting License No. 259 (PPL 259) to the Royal Fathers and the people and conveyed appreciation for the warm reception accorded him and other members of the company’s management team there present.
Unuigbe, while presenting the PPL license, told the communities that “Petralon 54 is a socially responsible organisation that is committed to human and environmental wellbeing and urged the Okrika people to see the company as a partner in progress”.
“We are not just here to take without giving back. With the right atmosphere created by the Okrika people for our company’s operations, mutual prosperity is assured”, he promised.
Host community reacts
The spokespersons for both Ogoloma and Okochiri communities, Hon. Linda Koroma and Dr. Chris Biriowu, warmly welcomed Petralon 54 and expressed the communities’ happiness at company’s effort at connecting deeply with the people.
“We are peace loving people but we do not want to be taken for granted. In getting wealth out of our land, our people’s means of livelihood are destroyed. We therefore expect that we should be a part of the prosperity for which we sacrifice our livelihoods, ecosystem and land”, said Hon. Linda Koroma.
She added, however, that “with the way you – Petralon 54 have come to us, we are persuaded that you are keen on a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with our people, and for that, you have our full support and cooperation”.
Earlier in his remarks for Okochiri Kingdom, Dr. Chris Biriowu commented that our communities have a very high percentage of youths, who will require employment and empowerment. We ask you, as one of us, to make this one of your own problems too”.
Project financing
For an asset coming on board at a time energy transition is the focus remains a tall order in the oil and gas industry. But, Adeola Akinrinmade, executive director, Petralon 54 Limited, unveiled how the company surmounted this herculean task.
“Okay, Thank you very much for that question. I say money is fluid and it is always looking for somewhere to rest. So, the question is, are you in the right position to attract funds to rest on in your asset?
You could have listened to what the founder and the CEO said, when we were awarded the operatorship of the Dawes Island Field in 2021. We did not just jump into it. We took time to engage with partners. They are an internationally known company for geo- scientific research. We gave them the letter and they accepted it intensely and vigorously. And they came out with the plan which we are going to utilize to attract investment. And the plan says during the course of the years, two years to three years….And it shows that the field is indeed viable enough to attract investment internationally, viable to attract investment locally. I would say there won’t be a problem attracting investment because this asset is viable.
Presence in host community without security
“Yes, I said I will become a model of the relationship within the community and companies. You can see the support, already. We are with the newsmen, we are not here with security. We are not scared. my mother is from this state. I am also an indigene of this environment. So, for us, it is a homecoming” enthused Ahonsi.
Keeping hope alive
The Ogoloma square, asides thousands of Chiefs and indigenes of Okrika Local government area of Rivers State, was a witness to special community relations exemplified by Petralon 54 Limited.
With a flash close in pace to that of lightening, the mood of Tamunotonye Adagogo would soon change. Tamunotonye Adagogo, said he has never in his 37 years of existence witnessed any good the oil and gas resources at his father’s background have brought to his clan.
He was moody and petulant, when sighted very close to the Ogoloma square. His lips were dry and folded, his eyeballs reddish and wide open, as he sank his sagging cheek in the cup of his palm.
Adagogo has not only shook his waist excitedly he felt reassured with comments from the Amanyanabos and other Okrika opinion leaders in a better future ahead of him and members of his clan.
“We await them to fulfil the promises on jobs and training opportunities. We have heard same lines from others, but what we have not seen others do is what they have done today by presenting their license to us,” he said with a smile of someone who has just conquered at a war front. He shook his waist a little more, wiped sweat off his face with his palm and concluded; “We see future with this people (Petralon 54). Let them just keep doing the right thing.”