• Saturday, June 15, 2024
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ANOH gas project can provide electricity for five million homes- Seplat Energy

$1.3bn owed to IOCs halts new gas investments

Udoma Udoma, board chairman of Seplat Energy has announced that the newly inaugurated Seplat Energy ANOH Gas Processing Plant can generate electricity for 5 million Nigerians.

Udoma stated this at the commissioning ceremony of the plant, held in Ohaji, Imo State, by President Bola Tinubu.

Built by the ANOH Gas Processing Plant Company (AGPC), the plant is a joint venture equally owned by Seplat Energy and the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The plant achieved mechanical completion in December 2023, recording no Lost Time Incidents (LTIs) over 12 million man-hours.

With a Phase One processing capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet per day, the ANOH plant is set to deliver dry gas, condensate, and LPG to both domestic and international markets.

Tinubu praised Seplat Energy and its partners for their efforts, stating, “Today is a great day of achievement demonstrating teamwork, commitment, and dedication to duty. I congratulate you for all you have done for the country and for fulfilling this in only 11 months. This event is highly significant and demonstrates the administration’s determination to accelerate the development of critical gas infrastr\ the project’s strategic importance, saying, “The ANOH gas project strongly aligns with Seplat Energy’s mission of leading Nigeria’s energy transition with accessible, affordable, and reliable energy that drives social and economic prosperity.

As a testament of our pledge to Nigeria, in partnership with the NNPC Ltd, we have delivered this project that will support the current administration’s drive for industrialization and growth of the economy through low-cost reliable power.”

“To put this into context, if all of the gas from this plant went into the power sector, it would produce enough electricity to transform the lives of over 5 million people. Given that Nigeria’s population is growing at a rate of over 5 million per annum, we need one of these plants a year every year just to meet the demand of our new arrivals.

“We appreciate the unwavering support of our partner NNPCL, the cordial relationship with our host communities, Imo state government and the support of all stakeholders that are too many to mention,” Udoma added.

Roger Brown, CEO of Seplat Energy, remarked, “Seplat Energy is pleased with the progressive reforms by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration. In March 2024, the President signed executive orders to enhance investments in greenfield gas development and midstream capital projects.

Also, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) recently improved gas prices under the DSO, to trigger further investments to the domestic gas sector – our ANOH gas plant will benefit from these reforms and incentives. No doubt, the ANOH’s gas will further reduce Nigeria’s carbon intensity and increase energy supplied to the Nigerian domestic market.”

The commissioning ceremony was attended by Seplat Energy’s board members, management and staff, government officials, institutional partners, traditional rulers, and industry players, among others.

Mele Kyari, group CEO of NNPC, commented on the collaborative efforts, stating, “The ANOH Gas Processing Plant being commissioned by NNPCL and our partner is in line with Nigeria’s decade of gas agenda and particularly consistent with the administration’s efforts to boost gas supply in the domestic market.”

Hope Uzodinma, Imo State Governor, represented by Deputy Governor Chinyere Ekomaru, congratulated Seplat Energy on the timely completion of the project and expressed optimism about the opportunities it brings to the state.

Ekperikpe Ekpo, minister of state petroleum resources (Gas), added, “With a capacity of 600 million standard cubic feet per day, the ANOH Gas Processing Plant is a shining example of advancement. This plant will greatly advance the availability of domestic gas which will boost power generation and hasten industrialisation.”

The ANOH Gas Processing Plant, which is situated in Ohaji, Imo State, is poised to emerge as one of Nigeria’s most important gas initiatives. It would speed up the switch from diesel generators to cleaner, more affordable fuels like natural gas for power generation and enable higher gas production.

The project is now completely funded after AGPC successfully obtained $260 million in debt in February 2021 to finance its completion. This was made possible by equity injections totaling $420 million from both partners.