NNPC Limited just announced that it will start drilling for crude oil in Nasarawa State starting from March 21, 2023.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari, disclosed this while meeting with the state Governor Engr. Abdullahi Sule, in the state capital Lafia.
During the meeting, Kyari explained that exploration is always a tedious activity which involves data gathering and testing. He highlighted the fact that NNPC has established a petroleum environment technically. He said:
- “We have seen a great potential for finding hydrocarbon in Nasarawa State. To confirm this, we are going to start drilling on the 21st of March, 2023. We are very optimistic that it will be a successful exercise.
- “It will not end there, once we find oil we will do further work, we will develop it and everybody will benefit from it, not just the communities around it but also the whole of Nasarawa state and the whole of the country.”
What you need to know: In April 2022, it was announced that a team from the Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) had started the process of drilling an enhanced well for the production of oil in the state.
Later, the NNPC indicated that seismic acquisition for Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 813A, Keana West in Nasarawa state, had been carried out and security assessment had been completed.
The NNPC has also obtained 3D seismic data in Keana and final deliverables have been reportedly received.
During a January 13 official visit by the Nasarawa state Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, to the NNPC office in Abuja.
Kyari said that exploratory activities revealed that there is a significant amount of oil in the state and the company was ready to do the necessary work to find the hydrocarbon resources therein. He said:
- “This work must be done very fast because the whole world is walking away from fossil fuels due to the energy transition, the earlier you go to market, the better for you. Otherwise, 10 years from now, no one will agree to put money in the petroleum business unless it comes from your cash flow.”
