SAIPEC 2022: Experts highlight relevance of gas in Africa’s decarbonisation goal
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Gas will continue to be a good source of fuel and a top priority in Africa’s energy transition towards decarbonisation as the continent sets forth towards generating environmentally-friendly energy resources.
Representatives of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) made the assertion during a panel session of the 6th annual sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC), held at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos.
The panel session titled, “Dynamics of sub-Saharan African Energy, Oil/Gas Industry as We Strive to a Low Carbon Economy,” was headed by Elizabeth Rogo, chief executive officer and president, East Africa, Africa Energy Chamber. The panellist discussants included, Elohor Aiboni, managing director, SNEPCo Nigeria; Bobby Hulett, director and PSC, Chevron Nigeria Limited; Victor Bandele, deputy managing director, TotalEnergies; Charles Nwoko, director, Equinor, and Saadoun Banoori, general manager, upstream, ENI Companies in Nigeria.
The panellists posited that the utilisation of gas will continue to be a good source of fuel and provide a lasting solution to meeting the high energy demands of the African population.
They added that oil companies across the continent have commenced strategic implementations towards increased consumption of gas as a better way of generating energy resources, emphasising that the reduction of gas flaring will help set the standard towards controlling carbon emission in the future
Speaking on how Shell, one of Nigeria’s leading energy companies, is working towards supporting Nigeria’s lower carbon emission target, Eloho Aiboni, managing director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), explained that Shell companies in Nigeria are facilitating the target by developing operational excellence of existing assets, generating maximum value to secure and fund growth and energy transition activities, and driving alternative energy solutions through the Shell-seeded impact investing company, All-On.
Aiboni added that Shell was expanding its domestic gas delivery network while building capability and relevant skills in the upstream towards energy transition.
The managing director, who was represented by Bashir Bello, Shell’s general manager, business relations, cited the company’s gas infrastructure project in Aba, Abia State, as one of the many contributions it is making towards accelerating industrialisation through the exploitation of gas while helping to cut down on carbon emission.
“Our provision of access to cleaner and stable sources of energy, through our gas pipelines, provides electricity to the popular Ariaria International Market in Aba which has over 37,000 shops and an estimated one million traders,”Aiboni stated.
She stated further that Shell remains committed to supporting the Paris Agreement’s aim to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius and is working towards supporting consumers of its products to reduce emissions on their parts.
The 2022 sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference is hosted by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) in partnership with the country’s petroleum sector.
Its content and proceedings focuses on creating a strategic agenda aimed at creating game-changing solutions and collaborations between multinational and indigenous service providers in the oil/gas and renewable energy sectors aimed at developing Africa’s growing oil and gas industry.
The three-day event (February 22-24) features speakers, delegates and national oil corporations drawn from over 25 countries including Angola, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Somaliland, The Gambia, Uganda, among others.
It also provides opportunities for stakeholders in the industry to leverage on experiences and ensure regional collaborations between multinational and indigenous oil and gas companies and energy service providers in Africa.