NNPC seeks security clearance to resume oil Search in Chad
…as DPR seals 14 illegal LPG plants in Abuja
Micheal Ajayi
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that it will to resume oil search in the Chad Basin as soon as it receive security clearance.
This disclosure was made by the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, when the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, paid him a business visit in Abuja.
“We will go back there as soon as we receive security clearance. There seems to be some prospects there because the Niger Republic drilled over 600 wells and now they are producing while we have only drilled 23”, the GMD said.
Oil search in the Chad Basin was suspended after a team of NNPC Frontier Exploration Services and their consultants from the University of Maiduguri were attacked and some of them abducted on July 25th 2017.
Baru commended the people of Bauchi and Gombe States, especially communities in the exploration area for their support and hospitality while assuring them of NNPC’s support in the provision of infrastructure and amenities.
On the proposed Institute of Petroleum Studies to be established in Bauchi State University, Dr Baru pledged the support of NNPC and assured the governor of synergy between the institution and the Petroleum Training Institute, Warri, for exchange programs and manpower development.
Meanwhile, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in collaboration with the Nigeria Securities and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) have sealed 14 illegal sellers of Liquefied Natural Gas (LPG) known as cooking gas in Abuja.
Malam Abubakar Buba, DPR Abuja Zonal Coordinator told newsmen on Wednesday that the effort was to ensure that all retail operators were licenced.
Buba said that DPR had gone round severally to warn the operators, but they continued to operate illegally.
” We were able to seal about 14 plants operating illegally around this area.
“Our major focus for this exercise today is to make sure everybody have a permit to operate”, he said.
