By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has set March 2024 for the completion of the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline.
This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, in his industry address during the opening ceremony of the 7th edition of the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES 2024) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
According to him, the projected completion timeline was in alignment with the estimates provided by Oilserv Limited.
The pipeline is expected to deliver 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from the Obiafu, Obrikom, and Oben fields to the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline.
Mr Ekpo had during a Senate Committee on Gas meeting led by Senator Agom Jarigbe, assured that the contractors were dedicated towards fulfilling their promise before the end of 2023.
The Minister of State Gas Resources then lauded the progress made in erecting crucial gas infrastructure projects nationwide, emphasising the significance of the development in advancing Nigeria’s economy.
While expressing confidence in the government’s commitment to ensuring the timely completion and successful commissioning of these transformative initiatives, Ekpo also extended commendations to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited Group for their unwavering dedication and proactive efforts in driving forward the OB3 pipeline project to its imminent completion.
The OB3 gas pipeline project, is a major pipeline project spanning 127 km with a 48-inch diameter, stretching from the Obiafu-Obrikom gas plant near Omuku, Rivers State, to Oben, Edo State.
The OB3 pipeline project is expected to commercialise over 2 billion cubic feet of gas per day and generate billions in revenue as well as create thousands of employment opportunities for Nigerians.
It is planned to feed the Asa North-Ohaji South, ANOH, gas project, one of the largest greenfield gas condensate development projects, that will produce 600 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, an equivalent of approximately 2.4 gigawatts of electricity for the country.
Dipo Olowookere