Dr Julius Rone, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UTM Offshore Ltd, owners of Nigeria’s first indigenous Floating Liquified Natural Gas (FLNG), has emerged as the winner of the Invest in Africa Energy (IAE) Forum crown for 2024 for his pioneering impact on Africa’s oil and gas sector.
He was conferred with the Changemaker for Pioneering Gas Monetization by FLNG Award by the body of African oil and gas industry giants on Tuesday at a ceremony in Paris, France.
According to a statement by the Paris-based Invest in Africa Energy, the award recognizes Dr. Rone’s revolutionary contributions to the development of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria and Africa.
The award was presented to him by Marcel Abeke, Minister of Petroleum of Gabon, and other industry giants: NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber; Armel Simondin, CEO of Perenco; Tim O’Hanlon, Senior Advisor to Panoro Energy; and Jean Michel-Jacoulot, CEO of Trident Energy.
Speaking at the event, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk, stated that the energy industry has “always been composed of champions who serve so much.”
Dr. Rone, who earlier this month also won the Oil and Gas Personality in the Daily Independent Newspapers Year 2023 Award, described the IAE Changemaker Award as a further call to intensify efforts and commitment towards the growth and development of gas productivity in Africa.
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“This vision and commitment towards developing our gas resource to benefit our nation, content, and humanity in general has been the underlying motivation which, among other things, birthed the establishment of the UTM Floating Liquified Natural Gas (UTM FLNG), the first indigenous floating liquefied natural gas company in Nigeria,” Rone said.
He thanked the IAE Forum for the award and recognition, assuring that his company will not relent in its pioneering roles in developing opportunities that abound in the gas sector.
Rone’s UTM FLNG is expected to drive energy transition in Nigeria with a production capacity of 2.8 Million Tons Per Annum (MTPA) made up of 2.14 MTPA of LNG, 0.5 MTPA of LPG, and 0.18 MTPA of Condensate.
With its production capacity, the company is expected to create thousands of more jobs and investment opportunities in Nigeria and Africa as well as reduce Nigeria’s carbon footprint and associated health and environmental hazards.
