President Muhammadu Buhari It broke ground on Tuesday for the first oil drilling from the Ebenyi-A exploration well located in the Middle Benue channel in the Obi local government area of Nasarawa state.
Mr. Buhari, in his virtual Well commissioning ceremony, admonished the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) and its partners to take due care of the environmental consequences of oil exploration activities and mitigate the negative effects.
The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reports that Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule and NNPCL Group CEO Mele Kyari, among others, conducted the inauguration ceremony on Buhari’s behalf.
Other dignitaries included Gbenga Komolafe, CEO of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Emir of Lafia, Bage Muhammad and some royal parents.
Buhari said the new oil discovery was in line with ongoing campaigns to explore for crude oil and gas in the nation’s frontier basins.
This, he said, included the Chad Basin, the Dahomey Basin, the Anambra Shelf, the Calabar Embankment, the Sokoto Basin, the Bida Basin, the Benue Channel, as well as the ultra-deepwater Niger Delta.
“Today’s occasion marks the official start of exploration drilling activities in the Middle Benue Trough.
“This is consistent with commercial hydrocarbon discoveries in the Kolmani Area of the Upper Benue Trough.
“I am pleased to note that activities are underway to develop the Kolmani oil discoveries to commercial production to augment the nation’s considerable hydrocarbon assets.
“I am encouraged by the tremendous work done by NNPC Limited to exploit the prospects in the Middle Benue Trough, leading up to today’s event,” he said.
The president congratulated NNPCL, NUPRC and other partners for their immense contributions in making exploration possible.
He expressed his satisfaction with the consequent positive results of the drilling campaigns, which he said would lead to greater prosperity for Nigerians and, in particular, would improve energy security in general.
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Mr. Buhari further said that surrounding communities would particularly benefit from the value created by exploration and eventual production activities.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Nasarawa government and people, especially the host community for their unconditional support and collaboration towards the success of the exploration campaign.
(YAYA)