Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), gave the reassurance on Saturday, that 3million barrels per day of crude oil is achievable if all industry stakeholders synergised for the target.
The oil company has given that same reassurance repeatedly since 2020, but production currently stands at 1.7mbd.
This came as it also said 8,000 illegal refineries and 5,800 illegal connections to pipelines had been destroyed in the last six months
Speaking during a session with National Assembly correspondents in Abuja, the NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer (CCCO), Mr Olufemi Soneye, said President Bola Tinubu had already demonstrated the political will by giving marching orders to security agencies to end oil theft and the vandalism of pipelines in the Niger Delta area.
Sonoye stated, “3 million barrels oil production per day is achievable in Nigeria if all the stakeholders work in synergy for that purpose from the security agencies, both government and private-owned, to oil companies and host communities.
“With the expected synergy from all the relevant stakeholders on the war against oil theft and pipeline vandalism, the required enabling environment will be in place for optimal oil production to the volume of 2.5 to 3mbpd.
The spokesman recalled how crude oil production dropped to 900,000bpd at some point before private security agencies were contracted to combine with the renewed efforts of the military to improve production.
He noted, “At that time, we felt Nigeria was in trouble as far as oil theft was concerned but the intensity of war against it allayed our fears.”
In a presentation, the Deputy Manager, Command and Control Centre, Mr Murtala Muhammad, gave a vivid picture of the grave danger oil theft and pipeline vandalism posed to the growth of Nigeria’s monolithic economy.
He named Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo and Abia among the states with the highest records of attacks on pipelines and operation of illegal refineries.
Way back in November 2020, the company’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mele Kyari, had while addressing a summit with energy editors in Abuja, spoken of the 3mbpd oil production target.
Kyari disclosed, “We have revved up exploration work in the inland basins culminating in the oil find in commercial quantity, in the Upper Benue Trough. The drilling of Kolmani River III Well is ongoing with very high prospect of oil find. Seismic data collection is ongoing in the Bida Basin and we are re-launching exploration work in the Chad Basin.
“We have also resolved a number of disputes that hampered production activities with a view to boosting production to meet the 3million barrels per day production target. Key among these is dispute involving Shell and Belema Oil that shut in over 30,000barrels per day production in OML 25.
“We have also executed the Abo OML 125 Heads of Terms leading to the resolution of the issues around most of the deep offshore production sharing contracts, paving way for eventual renewal of OML 125 and further investment in exploring the lucrative field.
Before Kyari made his promise, earlier in 2014, a former GMD, Mr Andrew Yakubu, had given a similar assurance while speaking at an energy conference.
Last March and at several recent foras, Kyari talked about the 3mbpd target, which has remained a work in progress.
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