At Greenville LNG plant:FG says will develop gas resources to cushion pain of subsidy removal

Business a.m. 

Nigeria is continuing with its push to develop its vast gas resources and the federal government has pledged its support to Rivers State-based Greenville LNG and other producers who are engaged in the development, exploitation and utilisation of gas in the country that would lead to achieving the federal government’s desire in this regard.

The pledge to support these producers was made by Ekpo Ekperikpe, minister of state for petroleum resources (gas) at the Greenville LNG’s gas liquefaction plant in Rumuji Rivers State when he led a high-powered federal government delegation on a working visit to the facility.

“The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration will give all and every support to Greenville LNG and other gas producers to achieve the nation’s desirable development,” Ekpo strongly assured his hosts.

Ekpo also said that with the President Tinubu’s administration’s strategically courageous and operationally wise removal of fuel subsidy and its constraining effect on the nation’s development, the exploitation and utilisation of Nigeria’s abundant gas resources is now set to unleash the country’s sustainable development, growth and progress.

At the plant, Eddy van den Broeke, chairman, Greenville LNG, led the company’s directors and management staff as well as many of its personnel to welcome the minister and his team in Rumuji Rivers State and later embarked on a tour of the plant.

In a statement sent to Business a.m., the company stated that at the control room, the technical command post of the plant’s operations, the minister spoke to the low emission status of gas utilisation as he said the federal government, in line with Nigeria’s commitments to global Climate Change remediation protocols, targets zero degenerative greenhouse emissions.

Ekpo stressed that Greenville’s low emission liquefied natural gas is the great pathway to government’s future environmental sustainability ideals, and an exemplary testament to worthy possibilities and legacy for generations coming. 

Following the tour of the plant, the minister said, “I was impressed with the state-of-the-art facilities that I saw, and the additional jobs created for our citizens in the plant was fulfilling.”

The minister further said: “Let me commend the foresight, dedication and patriotism of all investors and partners in this (Greenville) LNG plant given the volume of LNG it is supplying to bridge the demand gap in the domestic market.” 

The minister encouraged Greenville LNG which is currently operating three gas liquefaction trains in the facility to increase its trains. 

“My assurance to Greenville LNG and indeed to all in LNG production and distribution plants in Nigeria, is that I will work assiduously with my team and other relevant organisations to resolve the crisis in gas (feedstock) supplies to ensure these investments operate at optimal capacities,” the minister assured.

The minister of state for petroleum resources (gas) visited the Greenville LNG plant with a government delegation that included Oluremi Komolafe, director of gas in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and Tope Fasua, economic adviser to the president. Sadiq Wanka, the president’s adviser on energy, was also in Rumuji for the event.

Greenville LNG’s executives at the event included Laurent Maubre, chief executive officer, and Raju Limbachiya, chief financial officer. Other directors present were Chris Nathaniel, Zubairu Bayi, and Joseph Oyadoyin. Other Management Staff of the company present at the event were Ngozi Efobi, general counsel, Shri Pandey, head of procurement, Yusuf Zaiyanna, security chief, Werner Pirijins, external advisor, Rejeev Verma, business development executive, and Moses Duku, head of communications, PR and strategic liaison.