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NNPC prospecting for oil in Chad Basin – NAPIMS

By BusinessNews Staff on March 2, 2014

The Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services, Dr. Kennie Obateru, has said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, though NAPIMS, has continued with seismic acquisition activities in the Chad Basin frontier area despite the security challenges currently being experienced in the area.

He said, in a statement on Wednesday, that this was to show that the Federal Government’s commitment to explore for oil and gas in the Chad Basin was unwavering.

He said the acquisition project was being handled by the integrated Data Services Limited, a subsidiary of the NNPC, in partnership with the BGP, a subsidiary of the China National Petroleum Corporation.

The project, Obateru explained, was part of a 12-phased 3D seismic data acquisition programme covering 3,550 square kilometres.

He said the fifth phase of the project covering 252km2 had just been concluded, adding that the sixth phase covering 266km2 had commenced.

He said, “From Phase 1 to date, a total of 1,437km2 of seismic data has been acquired. Of this, 1,096km2 of seismic data has been duly processed and is ready for interpretation. Preliminary seismic data interpretation has produced some lead that will be further investigated to establish drillable prospects.”

Obateru explained that the seismic acquisition activities were carried out with due regard to environmental protection and in accordance with international standards and best practices.

“In this regard, the NNPC contracted the University of Maiduguri to undertake an environmental baseline studies and Environmental Impact Assessment, which will be a guide in the current and future exploration activities in the region,” he said.

The current exploration activities in the Chad Basin started over three years ago and have covered five seismic acquisition phases.

Obateru said NAPIMS strategy was to continue the phase 6-12 to enable “us to complete the acquisition and interpret prior to further drilling activities in the area.”

He explained that effort was also being intensified to complete the interpretation of the acquired aeromagnetic surveys across the six inland basins as part of the aggressive exploration agenda for increasing the country’s reserve base.

The NNPC has embarked on sustainable developmental projects for its host communities in the areas of infrastructure, health and education, according to the statement.

“The NNPC has also undertaken projects such as provision of potable water through sinking of boreholes as well as refurbishing of classroom blocks in primary schools in the area,” it stated.

Obateru said the NNPC would continue to carry out community-oriented projects as the programme progressed with a view to positively touching the lives of the host communities.

“Meanwhile, over two thousand youths and local contractors have been actively engaged to provide various services including the provision of boat and canoes in swampy terrains,” Obateru added.

[Punch]

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