By Adedapo Adesanya
The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr Gbenga Komolafe, has revealed that routine gas flaring in the Nigerian oil and gas operations would end in 2030.
Mr Komolafe made the disclosure at the 8th Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference in Lagos, saying that several initiatives were ongoing in the sector to ensure all gas flares were put out in the next years.
He said the national drive is to achieve the zero-flare target by 2030 and net zero carbon emissions by 2060, stressing that NUPRC was effectively spearheading the drive to attain the target.
Speaking of the Nigeria Gas-Flare Commercialisation Programme, Mr Komolafe said it was one of the initiatives through which the target would be attained.
Gas flaring has continued to be an issue in Nigeria in spite of current global efforts to curtail carbon emissions emanating from various sources, including gas flaring.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) reported that oil and gas companies operating in the country flared 275.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas in 2023, leading the country to a loss of a whopping $1 billion, an equivalent of N891 billion, and with damaging effects on the environment through carbon dioxide emissions.
In its gas flare report for 2023, NOSDRA disclosed that the volume of gas flared in 2023 was 27.03 per cent higher than the volume flared in 2022.
According to the environmental watchdog, 224.9 billion SCF, BSCF, of gas was flared by the companies in 2022, valued at $787.2, an equivalent of N701.395 billion, using Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) exchange rate of N891/$1.
NOSDRA noted that the 275.2 billion SCF of gas flared in 2023 emitted 14.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere; has power generation potential of 27,500 gigawatts hours, GWh, while the offending companies were liable for penalties of $550.4 million, an equivalent of N490.406 billion.
In its gas flare report for the period, NOSDRA disclosed that the volume of gas flared in 2023 was 27.03 per cent higher than the volume flared in 2022.
According to the environmental watchdog, 224.9 billion SCF, BSCF, of gas was flared by the companies in 2022, valued at $787.2, an equivalent of N701.395 billion, using the CBN FX rate of N891/$1.
It listed the major gas flaring offending companies to include Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC); Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC); Chevron Nigeria; Mobil Oil; Elf Petroleum Nigeria; Nigeria Agip Oil Company, NAOC; Addax Petroleum; Texaco Overseas (Nigeria), Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria; Allied Energy Resources; Ultramar Petroleum; Atlas Petroleum; Cromwell and South Atlantic Petroleum, among others.
Modupe Gbadeyanka