By Jite Eriabie
Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNUP), the Nigerian affiliate of the ExxonMobil Corporation, on Thursday restated its commitment to continue gas supply to consumers in the nation’s domestic market.
The company, which is also the operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC/MPNU joint venture in the upstream sector of the petroleum industry, also resolved to seek new measures to expand existing operational portfolios to boost its crude oil production and gas supply for power generation.
Until recently, the company was one of the country’s highest producers of crude oil, accounting for almost 600,000 barrels per day of crude, condensate and natural gas liquids, NGL.
The Joint venture operates over 90 offshore platforms from its Qua Iboe terminal operations area in Akwa Ibom State, comprising about 300 producing wells.
Speaking during a meeting with the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Maikanti Baru, in Abuja, Senior Vice-President, ExxonMobil Corporation, Jack Williams, said the joint venture was ‘poised to rebound.’
Williams was at the head of a high-powered delegation from ExxonMobil Corporation which visited the NNPC management to exchange views on major operational issues affecting common interest.
Some of the issues discussed during the meeting included how the joint venture could improve its drilling activities to increase oil and gas production; refurbishing of crude oil pipelines as well as the supply of gas to the planned Qua Iboe Independent Power Plant, IPP, among other issues.
At the end of the meeting, the NNPC GMD said other important issues discussed during the meeting covered the recommitment of ExxonMobil Upstream companies in Nigeria to supplying gas to the domestic market.
The other affiliate of the Corporation is Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, EEPNL, which is the operator of the deepwater oil and gas development field named Erha in Oil Prospecting Lease, OPL 209, now OML 133.
“This is something that is very positive. And they are willing to do it. We would quickly roll-out the programme to ensure that sufficient gas comes in for the IPP. We have also secured a commitment from them to end gas flare at QIT and other production areas,”Baru said.
Williams, who described the meeting as very fruitful, noted that ExxonMobil Corporation was committed to growing its production in Nigeria ”safely and with much integrity.”
To underscore its aspiration for growth in production, Williams said that ExxonMobil was set to increase its JV budget for 2018 operations. He did not give further details.
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