An indigenous oil firm, Green Energy International Limited (GEIL), has announced its readiness to start generating electricity from its initial six megawatts gas-to-power facility.
It said the plant, being constructed on GEIL’s operational base in Ikuru Town, Rivers State, would provide uninterrupted power to host communities in the state and the oil firm’s production facility.
The Chairman, GEIL, Anthony Adegbulugbe, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ workshop that was organised for the company by a group known as Akassa Associate in Port Harcourt, according to a statement issued by the firm.
He further stated that the 12 million standard cubic feet per day liquefied petroleum gas extraction plant at Ikuru Town would be completed and inaugurated for use by the second quarter of next year, as its fabrication had been completed in China.
Adegbulugbe noted that GEIL, an indigenous operator of the Otakikpo Marginal Field, had embarked on the projects in fulfilment of its gas utilisation strategy, which would ultimately lead to zero gas flares from the oil firm’s field.
He said the company was committed to the welfare and development of the communities of operation and would do anything necessary to sustain the good relationship already built with the communities.
The GEIL boss outlined the host communities as Ikuru Town, Ayama, Ekede, Ugama Ekede, Asuk-Oye and Asukama.
Adegbulugbe, who was represented at the event by Green Energy’s Sustainability Director, Ayodele Olojede, said, “Since oil production for us is not an end in itself but a means to achieve other development goals, we have moved swiftly towards the implementation of our gas-to-power project.
“This project is anchored on the recent award of a 40MW electricity generation licence to GEIL by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.”
He said the workshop was planned to review the oil firm’s corporate social responsibilities in the last five years, and come up with a better strategy for the development of the communities and the Andoni area.
“I am glad that this workshop and planned visit to the communities would look closely at a befitting model for supporting our target communities with uninterrupted power supply, just like what is being given to Bonny Island dwellers by the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas company,” Adegbulugbe said.
Source: Punch
