The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has introduced four new regulations for oil and gas operators in the Nigerian petroleum industry.
This was made known in a recent statement signed by Kimchi Apollo, the Authority’s General Manager in charge of Corporate Communications and Stakeholders’ Management.
Mr. Apollo wrote that the regulations would address environmental and safety concerns in Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sectors.
According to the statement, the new regulations will enhance value, create an enabling environment and deepen activities in the midstream and downstream sectors for the benefit of Nigerians.
“Therefore, market operators are hereby advised to adhere strictly to these regulations,” a part of the statement read. The regulations and their functions are as follows:
- The Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Environmental Regulation, 2023, will ensure that environmental standards and practices are upheld across midstream and downstream petroleum operations.
- The Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Safety Regulation, 2023, will prioritize safety measures and procedures in the midstream and downstream sectors.
- The Midstream and Downstream Decommissioning and Abandonment Regulation, 2023, outlines the requirements and procedures for the decommissioning and abandonment of petroleum facilities in the midstream and downstream sectors.
- The Midstream and Downstream Environmental Remediation Fund Regulation, 2023, sets out the establishment and financial contribution of the fund for midstream and downstream operations.
According to the statement, the new regulations are in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021. The NMDPRA has in recent times, issued new regulations guiding activities in the oil and gas industry to aid effectiveness in the sector.
In Q1 2023, Nairametrics reported that the NMDPRA issued 6 new regulations to guide activities in: Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Operations, Petroleum Measurement Regulations, Assignment or Transfer of License and Permit, Natural Gas Pipeline Tariffs/Gas Pricing, Domestic Demand and Delivery as well as Petroleum/Transportation and Shipment.
At the time, the Authority Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed said that in addition to the 6 regulations being launched, 14 other regulations have been developed and will be issued shortly, making a total of twenty new regulations from the Authority.
What you should know:
In a June 26 letter to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wrote to address regulatory overlaps between the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
According to the president, NMDPRA shall be the exclusive technical and commercial regulator in respect of petroleum operations and facilities from the exit of the crude export terminals and the entry gate of the natural gas processing plant.