by Jewel Stephen

The NPDC/SEPLAT Joint Venture has announced the shut-down of its Oben gas plant to enable tie-in of its expansion unit with the existing plant.

The 10 day long shut down is scheduled for February 22nd to March 5th and will enable the company tie in its newly installed, 2 x 75 mmmscf/d unit into the company’s existing gas plant.

According to a statement from the company’s CEO, Austin Avuru, “post tie-in operation, SEPLAT will have a single homogenous plant consisting of 2 by 45 MMSCF and 2 by 75 MMSCF trains and will be able to deliver 240MMSCF/D WAGP specification gas post-commissioning, from the Oben node. This facility expansion and upgrades will bring the company’s overall daily gas production capacity to slightly over 300mmscf/d.”

During the shutdown, Seplat’s current daily production of 135MMSCF, from Oben node will, according to the statement, “not be available, however, the company will maintain gas availability of 60mmscf daily from its Sapele node”.

The shut-down, provides the company an opportunity to enhance its current gas delivery into the national gas grid. This achievement aligns with Seplat’s short to medium term domestic gas commercialization strategy, while facilitating greater power generation in the country.

Last November, SEPLAT signed an MOU with the Ministries of Petroleum Resources and Power, in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the National Electricity Regulatory commission (NERC) as well as NNPC, and Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria Limited for gas supply. Improved gas production enables the company meet its obligations and achieve its short to medium term gas objectives.

Austin Avuru, SEPLAT CEO, noted that indeed “the company’s investment to develop its gas infrastructure buttresses our commitment to boost gas supply to the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and support the Federal Government’s commitment to the reform of the Power Sector”.

Kolapo Olapoju