The Presidency may have waded into the impasse between the Nigerian unit of Italian oil giant, Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), and indigenous oil service company, Arco Petrochemical Engineering Company Plc, with a view to resolving the crisis, which is now before a Port Harcourt Federal High Court.
The gas plant is reputed as the Eastern hub for gas supply in Nigeria, as the plant supplies gas to the Nigeria LNG, Eleme Petrochemicals and the Omoku power plants.
Already, Agip is being accused of flouting court order to maintain status quo on the contentious interim contract for the maintenance of Agip’s OBOB/Kwale/Ebocha gas plant pending the award of substantive contract for a 4+1 year contract by the NNPC/Agip joint venture.
The Italian company also took advantage of a leeway in venture agreements to unilaterally offer the job to Platgeria Company Ltd. even when the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC had not met to approve the new contract.