Yemisi Izuora
French Oil Major, Total exploration and production (E&P) said it has completed work on one of its facilities that transports gas to a major power plant located in Abia state, south east Nigeria.
According Total, a section of its Northern Option Pipeline (NOPL) from km 38 at Obigbo to Km 50 at Imo River, has been completed on and is now set to convey gas to the National Integrated Power Plant (NIPP) at Alaoji along the Imo River in Abia State.
The company anticipated that conclusion of work on the facility and its readiness to wheel gas to its dedicated destination would further boost federal government’s set objective of improving electric power supply in the country.
Elisabeth Proust, Managing Director of Total E&P Nigeria commenting on the development stated that the project was a clear demonstration of the company’s commitment to deliver ‘Better Energy’.
The NOPL is a 24 inch wide, 50 km long pipeline under construction by Total E&P Nigeria Ltd on behalf of the NNPC/TEPNG Joint Venture.
When fully completed later this year, the project will deliver 100 million cubic feet of gas per day to this strategic power plant.
It will be recalled that in an effort to ensure early gas supply to newly built power plants, the Federal Government requested Total E&P Nigeria Ltd (TEPNG) to complete a section of the NOPL from kilometre 38 (at Obigbo) to Km 50 at Imo-River where the line connects to Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) facilities.
This is the point that allows gas inflow to the Alaoji Power Plant and the intervention for early gas required that TEPNG mobilized additional resources to fast track the works in order to meet the deadline despite numerous changes associated with the difficult terrain.
The Gas now being supplied to the Alaoji Power Plant during this interim period will come from Seven Energy, while NGC will transport the gas through their pipeline and the section of our NOPL.
