Nigeria Content Online

The
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian
Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) say they would work closely towards the
realisation of Train 7 Liquefied Natural Gas Project, thereby creating
jobs for Niger Delta youth.

This
was one of the resolutions arrived at on Monday, when Chima Ibeneche,
Managing Director, NLNG, led a delegation to pay a courtesy visit to
the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Shehu Ladan.

Welcoming
the NLNG delegation to his office at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, Mr. Ladan
stressed that one of his priorities during his tenure is to ensure the
realisation of Train 7, which has been in the pipeline for a long time.
He said during his tenure he would mobilise resources to ensure that
the LNG Train 7 comes to fruition, after ensuring the availability of
gas for domestic use.

The
NNPC boss argued that the development of Train 7, complemented by the
Brass LNG, in the same region, will not only help in disarming
militants in the Niger Delta through the numerous job opportunities
they would create, but will also cause a ripple effect in both the
regional and national economy.

Mr.
Ladan said, “Luckily, the shareholders of the LNG project are not
asking us for money because they have money of their own for the
project. So the development of the project will not only disarm the
militants fighting in the region, but also generate a lot of industries
that will employ the youths and keep them occupied, and this will have
a multiplier effect in the economy of the region and of Nigeria.”

He
noted that the project is very significant to Nigeria’s economy, which
development has been hampered as a result of the shortage of gas to
satisfy local requirement.

The
LNG had, on July 2004, invested in Train 6. Volumes of LNG from train 6
were marketed by Endessa (Spain), Total, and Shell Western LNG for
destinations in Europe and the United States.

Other gas products

Also
expressing commitment to the Train 7, Mr. Ibeneche said the Liquefied
Natural Gas project is the most profitable additional capacity in the
LNG, stating that apart from the project, the NLNG is equally committed
to ensuring the availability of other gas products such as the
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

To
this end, the NLNG boss sought the support of the NNPC to construct a
new LPG jetty and depot in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for ease of
supply and distribution of the product in the country.

Mr. Ibeneche said, “There is one major LPG jetty in Lagos, but
because of congestion the jetty is not as effective as it should be in
product distribution. There is also a small jetty in Calabar, but there
is none in Port Harcourt. So if the NNPC with some of its partners can
deliver a jetty and a depot in Port Harcourt, we will have broken a
jinx on the availability of LPG in Nigeria.” Mr. Ibeneche said that
NLNG is promoting the expansion of LPG usage in Nigeria by guaranteeing
availability of the product, adding that there is every need to
increase existing facilities to bring LPG closer to the people. He said
that the company is equally ensuring the availability of gas for power
generation in the country by providing the means for Mobil Producing to
transport its gas to meet domestic supply needs.