By Yemisi Izuora- Lagos
Nigerdock Nigeria Plc has completed the fabrication of the jacket and associated decks for the Domestic Supply Obligation, DSO, Meren GGCP and Sonam NWP project, belonging to Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, operator of the NNPC/CNL joint venture.
At the load-out ceremony for the jacket and associated decks Thursday in Lagos, Mr. Anwar Jarmakani, the chairman of Jagal Group – owners of Nigerdock – described the success of the fabrication work as one of the accomplishments of the Local Content Policy, which both the government and Nigerians should be proud of.
This, he stated, was because the project was a value-added one for Nigeria, completed hundred per cent in-country, on target and within budget, in the process also creating jobs for hundreds of Nigerians.
Represented by Mr. Manssour Jarmakani, executive director of Jagal Group, the chairman said the general scope of work being undertaken by Nigerdock for Chevron covers the fabrication of the jacket, piles and bridges for the Meren Gas Gathering and Compression, GGCP, Platform, and also the entire structures for the Sonam Non-associated Gas Wellhead, NWP, Project.
On completion, the GGCP and NWP are expected to deliver a combined 420 million cubic feet per day, mmcf/d, of natural gas to Chevron’s Escravos Gas Project, EGP, representing a major leap towards using natural gas mined from CNL’s operations and eliminating gas flaring from its assets.
The major work is, however, being undertaken by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea with all in-country scope subcontracted to Nigerdock Nigeria Plc, underlining Chevron’s commitment to and compliance with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development, NOGICD, Act.
Speaking at the load-out ceremony in Lagos, Mr. Ernest Nwapa, executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, hailed Nigerdock’s success with the Meren jacket and associated decks as a milestone in the quest towards achieving increased local content in the nation’s oil and gas sector.
He called for increased patronage of local companies by the international oil companies in the execution of their major projects, saying Nigerdock has demonstrated the ability of Nigerians to provide facilities and skilled manpower required for the execution and delivery of major projects.
Highlights of the work performed so far by Nigerdock on the Meren GGCP and Sonam NWP projects include the fabrication of a total of 7,000+ tons of steel over the last three years.
Besides, Meren and Sonam jackets are the largest fabricated in-country, each of them weighing well over 1,000 tons.
Also, Sonam NWP topside, currently in advanced stage of construction, will be the largest to be built in-country at a total weight of 3,500 tons fully-equipped before load-out.
Currently, Nigerdock has worked with 700 workers on average throughout the projects’ duration and has achieved 1.7 million lost time injury-free man-hours cumulated on both projects scopes, which is still accumulating due to the fact that the overall projects are still on-going.
Added to these, over 150,000 man-hours of Local Content, LC, specialised training have been performed under the project umbrella.
According to Mr. Lloyd Crisp, managing director, Nigerdock Nigeria Plc, the projects would be completed within schedule and budget agreed with Chevron/NNPC in order to meet the offshore installation windows. Various load outs are planned for December 2014 and January 2015, he said.
“The project has been a huge success and demonstrates the enormous benefits the NOGICD act is bringing to this country by driving investment into infrastructure and people, and giving opportunity for indigenous companies like Nigerdock to demonstrate their capability to deliver on schedule and on budget,” Crisp said.