Ibom Power Plant Assured of Uninterrupted Gas Supply

The Uquo Gas and Oil Exploration Company with a production capacity of 100million cubic feet of gas and 2,000 barrels of oil per day has successfully laid 62 Kilometres of gas pipeline to Ibom Independent Power Plant (IPP) in Ikot Abasi.

The Vice President, Operations, of the Company, Mr Anny Umoren, at a briefing with journalists in Eket before facility tour, noted that the project located in Esit Eket was also undertaken by the laying of pipelines from Uquo to Oron for the purpose of delivering gas to the Nigerian Independent Power Plant (NIPP) Station in Calabar.

Umoren explained that the Uquo Gas and Oil Exploration Company, being an Unincorporated joint venture between Seven Energy and Frontier Oil Limited (FOL) are into an upstream field development and a midstream processing transportation operation.

He explained that the company, under corporate social responsibilities, has trained 400 youths of its host communities in nine skill areas in various centres in addition to providing 10,000 litres mini-water project in each of its seven host communities.

The company, he said, has offered employment for more than 800 youths from the host communities, explaining that Accugas, being part of the Uquo Gas Processing facility has erected pipelines and flowlines, the community projects, ICT training centres with internet facilities in two communities for the benefit of 250 youths annually.

His words: " We have established an internet café in one of the host communities to improve access to information, and have commenced plans for a micro-credit scheme for women in the Eket and Esit Eket Local Government Areas. The project will provide employment for the local community in which the field is located as well as provide gas to boost power supply which will lead to increased productivity in the state and its environs. This will indirectly translate to further development of the host communities and of the nation at large".

The Uquo field, being one of the 24 marginal fields that were awarded to indegenous companies by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in 2003, as part of the Federal Government Programme to increase gas production, reserves, and employment among others, Umoren said has a reserve of approximately 667 billion cubic feet of gas.

On the future plans for Uquo field development, Umoren said "the objective is to produce up to 200 million cubic feet of gas per day and 2,000 barrels of oil per day. Exploration work is proposed on identified exploration prospects which in the event of success will be developed to extend field life or to increase production rates".

He posited that an approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was obtained from the DPR for the company which has been effectively adhered to for the safety of the eco-system.