FG Seeks Crude Oil Supply From Niger Republic

The Nigeria Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is exploring the possibili­ties of piping crude oil from Ni­ger Republic for refining in Ka­duna. NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD), Maikanti Baru, said yesterday.
Mr Baru who visited Gover­nor Nasiru el-Rufa’i in Kaduna, said President Muhammadu Bu­hari was personally committed to the project.
He said it was important to explore alternative crude supply to Kaduna Refining and Petro­chemical Company, which has been affected by vandalism of pipelines and age.

“Due to challenges with the aged refinery and crude oil pipe­lines that had been breached sev­erally, the operations of the refin­ery has been epileptic.
“This we are determined to resolve through various in­tervention methods including evaluation of alternative crude oil supply from Niger Republic through building of a pipelines of over 1, 000 kilometers from Aga­dem to Kaduna.
“That efforts is being cham­pioned by Mr. President himself. We have already started engage­ments with the Nigerien Min­ister of Petroleum and the Chi­nese that are operating the field at Agadem.”
Mr. Baru also pledged to sus­tain efforts at enhancing energy supply to power industries in Ka­duna through the development of Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Ka­no gas pipeline, as well as devel­opment of power plants in Ka­duna and Abuja.
“These projects will be given special attention during my ten­ure,” he said.
The GMD disclosed that the College of Petroleum Resources in Kaduna would start operation on January 1, 2017, and thanked the state government for un­dertaking to construct internal roads in the school.
He urged the governor to sensitise residents of Kaduna against sabotage of the nation’s oil assets due to its adverse effect on the community, environment and national economy.
Responding, Mr el-Rufa’i said the corporation has as­sumed a new toga since Mr Baru took over, adding that prompt re­mittances by the corporation to the Federation Account has re­mained consistent.