Yemisi Izuora/Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Pipeline Professionals Association of Nigeria (PPAN) is taking up the challenge of assisting to address causes of pipeline vandalism and proffer solutions at its forthcoming maiden international conference.
Mr Geoff Onuoha, the Executive Chairman of the association disclosed this at the just concluded Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas.
Onuoha said that conference to be held in September would bring stakeholders around the world to discuss pipeline investment, security and other related issues.
He said that the effects of vandalism had continued to pose challenges on their businesses within the sub-sector, as production is dependent on how smoothly the pipeline runs.
“Pipeline has been a major factor in the production of crude oil, gas and production. Our association brings in people who run pipeline, construct pipeline and maintain pipeline.
It is an association that brings together industry people. So, we want to bring together a conference that focuses on pipeline.
We want to draw attention to challenges, the good methods, and new ideas on how pipeline is run,’’ he said.
The PPAN chairman emphasised that pipeline issue had always been put under the carpet and sub-merged.
“Now we are going to bring it up. We are going to bring in issue of standardization and issue of new ways to address the challenges we have.
We have technology like HDD (Horizontal Directional Drilling), but who can afford it, how much does it cost, who are the companies that can mill pipelines in Nigeria, and who are those that can help maintain pipelines.
Then, who are the people that are endanger to pipelines. How can we address issues of attacks on pipeline? We just want to focus on pipeline issues”he said.
According to him, If you address the issues of pipeline challenges, production goes up because pipelines are the easiest target when people wanted to do anything.
So, if you can address pipelines, you can address power in the process and address production. That’s why we are coming with our partners to Abuja to organise this conference.
He explained that at the conference, people who build pipes, pipe mills, those that construct pipelines, those who own pipelines and those that maintain pipelines would meet to discuss the way out.
“You will see people from different group exhibiting and addressing issues that will do with pipelines,” he said.
Onuoha said that pipelines vandalism has been a serious challenge to the socio-economic development of the country which the association has designed a methodology on how to address the menace.
“We want people to come and showcase different technology at their disposal that will be best used to address vandalism.
The conference would also tend towards addressing other issues that lead to pipeline vandalism like the social issues and not just the pipeline challenges,’’ he said.
On how much Nigeria is losing to pipeline importation, Onuoha said that 80 per cent of all the pipes used in Nigeria are imported.
He said that pipelines are very expensive, adding that an inche length of 127km-48 pipeline costs $1.2billion, which is a lot of money and the association is trying to put lots of attention on pipelines.
It will be recalled that in February, Dr Ibe Kachukwu, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources said that the country lost as much as $100 billion in revenue due to attacks by militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta cut crude output to a record low.
The Pipeline Professionals’ Association of Nigeria (PPAN) is a non-profit organisation with the aim of raising professionalism, elevating the quality of operations and maintenance of pipelines.
PPAN is focused on the improvement of pipeline assets in the country.
The membership of the association currently comprises corporate oil producers which include Nigeria LNG, SCiN, Total-ELF, Addax Petroleum and among others.
It also has oil servicing companies, and regulatory bodies such as DPR and NAPIMS, NGO as well as individuals who are dedicated to the cause of pipeline professionalism.