By Femi Ogunshola

The House of Representatives, says it will pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) before the end of 2021.

Rep. Benjamin Kalu, the spokesperson for the House, said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that the host communities remained an integral part of the bill, adding that the parliament would ensure that their interests and those of other stakeholders were protected.

“We have increased our speed, first and second reading, committee level, public hearing have all been done on the PIB, the next thing now is for us to go into technical session to compile all the views of the people.

“A lot of documents are being worked on, the consultants will sit with us to make sure we are able to bring out what people actually desire from this bill

“And so, we can package it for the third reading and then for concurrence, we are at the verge of third reading.

“This will be sorted out in no distant time; our target is that the bill will come out this year. It might even come out earlier than expected but we will finish it this year; we have gone so far and nothing is stopping us,’’ he said.

Kalu said that the required concurrence from the Senate would not be hectic as both chambers were working simultaneously on the bill through various stages. (NAN)

By Christian Njoku

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Cross River Chapter, on Thursday decried the proliferation of illegal filling stations in the state.

Mr Robert Obi, IPMAN Chairman in the state, expressed concern when the association paid a visit to Mr George Ene-Ita, the new Operations Controller, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Cross River Office.

Obi also said that it was worrisome to see “unlicenced and uncertified’’ filling stations operating in the state after marketers go through due process to obtain licence and certification from the DPR.

He alleged that the Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) were not being supplied to the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) depot in Calabar but to private tank farms.

Obi said that this leaves marketers with only one product, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

According to him, the NNPC tanks are available in Calabar but needed to be cleaned up and slightly recalibrated to take DPK and AGO.

“We had complained earlier and the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) promised to send us products but were later told that the Calabar depot do not have enough storage facility.

“The chairman of PPMC called and told me to engage with the managing director, storage, which I did in 2020 before the advent of COVID-19.’’

Obi said that there were still issues as marketers are not receiving those products even when the PPMC is ready to supply them.

He said, “we also have the issue of private tank farms getting PMS from PPMC and selling to us at N162 per litre; if marketers buy PMS at N162 per litre from the tank farms, how much do you expect them to sell at their filling stations.

“To make matters worse, officials of DPR will come to clamp down on us that we are selling above the approved pump price.

“The correction should be done at the tank farms and not at the filling stations.’’

Responding, Ene-Ita described IPMAN as an important association which had invested so much in the oil sector.

He promised that the DPR would assist IPMAN to meet its objective of making petroleum products availabile to the general public.

Ene-Ita said although, some of the issues raised by the association do not fall within the purview of DPR, it was important to see how they could be resolved.

“It is in our best interest that IPMAN remains not just in business but profitably in business.

“Even though a few of the issues are not within our jurisdiction, we will take them before the management so that at that level, there will be an institutional meeting point among relevant agencies,’’ he said. (NAN)

By Solomon Asowata

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says it shutdown 86 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plants in Lagos State in 2020 for operating illegally.

Mr Paul Osu, Head, Public Affairs, DPR made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lagos.

Osu said LPG ( cooking gas ) plants were shutdown for non-compliance with international safety standards.

According to him, the plants were also operating without prerequisite approval or licence from the regulatory agency.

Osu said some of the sealed plants were
operating under high tension electrical installations and other unapproved locations.

He noted that the move was aimed at reducing the occurrence of gas explosion and fire incidents in Lagos State.

Osu said the DPR would continue to clamp down on such illegal plants while at the same time sensitising the public on the need for safe usage and distribution of gas. (NAN)

By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The Federal Government says it has concluded plan to hold a National Conference on integration of Artisanal/Modular Petroleum refinery operations in the country to improve the capacity of the products.

The  Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Ita Enang disclosed this at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Office of the Presidency in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning will hold the conference on March 16 and 17.

Enang noted that the outcome of the summit would help to crash the prices of petroleum products in the country.

He said that the aim of the conference was for the purpose of integrating local refining capacity into the refining of petroleum products such as petrol, kerosene, diesel and other petrolchemical products.

According to him, the essence of the conference is to mobilse all Nigerian assets including technologists, engineers and other relevant disciplines including the persons who have been producing petroleum products at the creeks.

He said, “as the cost of crude goes higher, the cost of refined  petroleum products goes higher but if we refine these petroleum products in Nigeria ,the cost will be very low.

“And, the intendment of the conference is to mobilise these resources so that we can bring the prices of refined petroleum products down to below N100 per litre.

Enang further said that the conference would help to protect the environment.

He explained that the conference was not for the purpose of legitimising illegal mining operations but integrating the operators into the legitimate refining process.

According to him, this will stop all illegalities and create more employment for Nigerians.

He also said that the urgency of holding the conference was because the National Assembly had promised to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by April.

“Most of the issues that will be addressed at the conference are such issues that will require legislature, so any agreement that will be reached which requires legislature will be accommodated in the PIB,” he said.

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, on Monday, said the nation’s oil industry had lost substantial investments due to delay in the passage of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The governor stated this when the Co-Chairman, National Assembly Joint Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill, Mohammed Monguno, led members of the committee on a visit to him at Government House, Asaba.

Okowa said that investments in the nation’s oil industry would be up-scaled as soon as the bill was passed.

According to him, people of the Niger Delta zone are gladdened to hear about the renewed commitment by federal lawmakers towards passing the Petroleum Industry Bill.

Okowa expressed delight with the inclusion of Host Communities Fund in the bill, saying that this would make the people to be part-owners of the ventures and encourage them to secure oil facilities.

“You have come obviously for a very important assignment, something that we have not been able to achieve as a county in the last 14 years.

“We are gladdened as people from the Niger Delta to hear both leaderships of the National Assembly speak about their commitment towards passing the PIB.

“If you are able to achieve it, your name will be written in gold, because for too long, we have been talking about this bill and we are already endangering the oil industry.

“People are agitated about the direction of PIB and when anticipation and action are not clearly taken, it leads to loss of investment opportunities, because people are worried about the direction of the industry.

“There is no doubt that oil exploration has kept our economy, but over time, it has also caused so much pain to our people, which the bill is geared towards addressing.

“People have lost their lives and their source of livelihood, while the pains continue to increase on daily basis.

“But, we thank God that the dark days are over and there is an amnesty programme, even though it is not being run as it was proposed by the Yar’ Adua administration,” he said.

The governor expressed satisfaction with the commitment on the part of the leadership of the National Assembly, adding “We will be proud of you if you are able to achieve the passage (of the bill) this time around.

“We hope that with the provision of the host communities fund, it will impact in their lives and help them to live a sustainable life,” Okowa said.

Earlier, Monguno, who is the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, said that his team was in Delta in furtherance of the legislative processes that would eventually lead to the passage of the bill.

He said that the national assembly was working closely with the executive arm and other stakeholders to ensure the passage of the bill.

“We have promised Nigerians that by the end of April, we will pass this all-important bill.

“We are committed this time around to the passage of the bill, for the good of Nigeria.

“There is the need for us, as a country, to reform the oil and gas sector, especially as the world is moving away from fossil fuel to renewable energy.

“It is important that we take advantage of the opportunities available,” Monguno said.

By Yakubu Uba

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says queues observed in some filing stations in Maiduguri are caused by panic buying by motorists on the assumption that the price of petrol would soon increase.

Mr Ibrahim Ciroma, North East Zonal Operations Controller of DPR, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Friday that the assumption was unfounded because Maiduguri received between 15 and 20 trucks of petrol daily.

Ciroma urged motorists not to panic as the DPR was on top of the situation.

According to him, there is no cause for alarm.

“Maiduguri receives between 15 and 20 trucks of petrol daily and we are monitoring all filling stations to ensure that no one hoards or sells above the official pump price of N162 per litre.

“I have called the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in the state to appeal against any malpractice from the members.

“IPMAN has also constituted a committee to ensure its members sells at the approved price and nobody is hoarding the commodity,” Ciroma said.
The controller reiterated the commitment of DPR to ensure steady supply of fuel to Borno.

He said to ensure there were no hitches, some staff hitherto directed to stay at home because of COVID-19, had been recalled for effective monitoring of filling stations. (NAN)

By Edith Ike-Eboh

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has assured Organised Labour and Nigerians that there will be no increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as Petrol in the month of February.

The corporation gave the assurance in a statement  signed by its spokesman Dr Kennie Obateru  in Abuja, on Thursday.

“In spite of the rise in the price of crude oil in the international market, NNPC has ruled out any increment in the ex-depot price of PMS in February, 2021,” he said .

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ex-depot price is the price at which oil marketers buy products from depot.

The price determines the price at which they sell to motorists at their various petrol stations.

Obateru explained that the decision was to allow ongoing engagements with organised labour and other stakeholders on an acceptable framework that would not expose the ordinary Nigerian to any hardship.

He urged petroleum products marketers not to engage in hoarding of PMS  in order not to create artificial scarcity and unnecessary hardship for Nigerians.

He further gave  assurance that the corporation  had enough stock pile of petrol to keep the nation well supplied for about 40 days.

He also called on relevant regulatory authorities to step up monitoring of the activities of marketers with a view to sanctioning those involved in products hoarding or arbitrary increase of pump price.

NAN reports that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, in March 2020 announced that the nation’s downstream oil sector had been deregulated

With the announcement,  the prices of petroleum products would be determined by prevailing market forces. (NAN)

By Edith Ike-Eboh

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) says the global oil sector needs about  US$ 12.6-trillion investment to enable it contribute to achieving future global oil demand.

 The OPEC  Secretary General, Dr Mohammad Barkindo, disclosed this at the Virtual  11th IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposium on Energy Outlooks on Wednesday.

“The global primary energy demand is forecast to continue growing in the medium and long term, rising by a hefty 25 per cent by 2045.

“Oil will remain the largest contributor to the energy mix in 2045 at 28 per cent.

“To meet this future demand, the global oil sector will need cumulative investment of US$ 12.6 trillion in the upstream, midstream and downstream through to 2045.

“These investments are essential for both producers and consumers,’’ he said.

According to him, underinvestment remains one of the greatest challenges for the industry and has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He noted that over the course of 2020, investments declined by 30 per cent, adding that there was the need to work towards creating an investment-friendly climate.

“There is a common thread linking the cooperation between our Organizations; the “Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) actions to restore market stability and the producer-consumer dialogue.

“It is something deeply ingrained in OPEC’s raison d’etre.

“In our fast-changing and unpredictable world, we seek to contribute to greater stability, more predictability and enhanced transparency,’’ the OPEC Scribe said.

He further noted that the organisation constantly seeks to improve its capacity, believing that this would help to build a better future that would serve the interests of generations of producers and consumers.