September 11, 2024

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1 Group drums support for FGs plan to privatise refineries

2 FG committed to independence of auditor-general’s office – Tinubu

3 FCTA, GAIN sign MoU on access to affordable, nutritious food

4 FG, stakeholders synergise to boost poultry production

5 Eguavoen says report of quitting false

Samuel ONOJI, PhD. Acting Principal/CEO, PTI
Education , General News , Oil & Gas

Students, youths’ bodies beg Tinubu to appoint competent CEO for PTI

By Emmanuel Afonne

The leadership of students and youths unions have called on President Bola Tinubu to appoint the acting Principal of Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Dr Samuel Onoji, as the substantive Principal of the institute.

The unions’ appeal was conveyed in a letter addressed to the president and co-signed by the leadership of the different student/youth bodies, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

The unions are the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), National Association of University Students (NAUS) and the National Association of Colleges of Education Students (NACES).

Others are the Nigerian Youth Union (NYU) and the African Students Education Support Initiative (ASESI).

The signatories are Comrades Chinonso Obasi, National President, NYU; Lucky Emonefe, National President, NANS; Marshal Obaji, National President, NAUS; Bassey Eka, Nigerian Country-Rep, ASESI; Egunjobi Samuel, National President, NACES and Ridwan Opeyemi National President, NAPS.

According to the groups, the unprecedented peace and joy in the institute since the announcement of Onoji as the acting principal is one borne out of acceptance by all and sundry.

“It also shows Onoji’s capacity to deliver on goals, integrity, ingenuity, unquestionable leadership and charisma.

“Our interest is primarily in Nigerian students’ welfare and a peaceful academic environment.

“The testimonials from PTI students about Onoji affirm that he is the square peg in the square hole.

“As former Director of PTI services, an officer in charge of the day-to-day maintenance and repair of the infrastructure of the institute, he is described and addressed by students as a cat with nine lives.

“This is because of his availability to call to duty even at odd hours.”

The groups further highlighted student’s appraisals of Onoji’s competence.

“Under Onoji as chairman board of examiners, we have experienced seamless examinations; under his admission committee, PTI’s admissions have always been on merit.

“As chairman institute curriculum development committee, we have enjoyed rich curricula that place us ahead of other scholars in sister institutions.

“As a sound academia, he has published several papers in international reputable high-impact Elsevier journals, among others, which can be verified online.”

The groups said that the standard of PTI was falling drastically because of the rising competing training institutes created by multinational companies.

According to them, the situation creates the urgent need for a seasoned and experienced Onoji who is the chairman of the PTI strategic team.

They said confirming Onoji as the Chief Executive Officer of the PTI would make significant impact on visibility of the Institute in the oil and gas industry.

“His appointment, we believe, will rekindle the lost glory of the Nigerian-only petroleum training institute and the institute, will in turn, contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s GDP by upscaling its established mandate.

“It is always said that ‘when preparation meets opportunity, success is abound; Onoji’s preparedness for the task ahead is unquestionable.

“In April, he completed a 2-week mandatory training for heads of Federal Government Agencies/Parastatals at Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo-Badagry to further equip him with administrative skills to manage the institute.

“For the mandate of PTI which is to train competent technical manpower required for the sustainability of the Nigeria oil and gas industry to be achieved awesomely, we passionately recommend the appointment of Onoji as the Principal and Chief Executive Officer of PTI.

“This is because in acting capacity, much cannot be achieved considering the government bureaucracy associated with it,’’ the groups said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Oil theft, an organised crime in the Niger Delta region
Oil & Gas

FG tasks oil experts on solutions to local industry challenges

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Federal Government has tasked oil and gas experts to proffer permanent solutions to challenges ranging from low productivity, oil theft, pipeline vandalism and gas flaring in the local oil industry.

Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), made the call on Monday in Abuja, at the opening of the third Biennial International Conference on Hydrocarbon Science and Technology (ICHST 2023).

The conference, organised by the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) and hosted by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), aimed at resuscitating the observable decline in the nation’s oil production and embracing innovative research as practiced by the developed nations.

Lokpobiri said Nigeria had played major roles in the global oil industry and Africa in particular, hence the need to sustain its position.

“Nigeria has been a big player in the oil and gas industry both in Africa and globally. For us to sustain our place globally, we need to tackle challenges and key into what is trending globally.

“My expectations at the end of this conference is for us to come up with home grown solutions to address our problems in the petroleum industry.

“Nigeria have so many problems in the industry, I believe that the conference would come up with solutions to address those challenges and also produce document that will be implementable,” he said.

Also speaking, Dr Henry Adimula Principal/Chief Executive, PTI, said the conference underscored the need to shape the destiny of Nigeria’s oil/gas industry.

Adimula added that the essence of the conference was to explore, dissect, and contribute to a future teeming with possibilities.

He acknowledged the pioneering research conducted by the PTI which had substantially influenced the discussions.

“PTI’s development of economic models for gas investment, spanning the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors, and creation of Modified Unit Technical Cost Model for oil and gas investment, ensures precise determination of the cost to produce a standard cubic foot of gas.

“These achievements underscore PTI’s dedication to innovative and environmentally responsible hydrocarbon resource utilisation,” he said.

Adimula said its collaborative research with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Research and Development Division had resulted in steps towards efficient storage system for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in powered tricycles.

According to him, this pioneering initiative marks a substantial stride towards sustainable energy solutions and cleaner transportation methods.

He said its strides in research and innovation also yielded results especially in securing a patent for the ‘Method of Improving the Rheological Properties of Potassium-Based Bentonite Clay’ under Nigerian Patent No NG/P/2020/200 as duly registered with the Nigerian Patents and Designs Registry.

These innovations, he said, reflected its steadfast dedication to sustainable and eco-friendly practices, serving as a testament to our unwavering commitment to pioneering research and development.

Mr Ahmed Aminu, the Executive Secretary PTDF, represented by Mrs Ifeoma Nwokike, General Manager Projects, in his address said the oil/gas sector, especially in Nigeria, was at an intersection of complex challenges and unprecedented opportunities.

According to Aminu, the industry grapples with a myriad of issues, from technological hurdles, research limitations, and the dwindling landscape of investments and finance.

The situation, he said underscored the importance of bolstering research funding and technological development to boost the sector.

“The imminent commencement of the Dangote Oil Refinery, the completion of pivotal pipeline infrastructure like the AKK, and the production initiatives at Komani oil field in Northern Nigeria, present a hopeful panorama of opportunities that can reinvigorate the industry,” he said.

In his keynote address, Dr Omar Ibrahim, the Secretary-General, African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO), identified the biggest victims of a speedy energy transition as the developing countries, especially those from Africa.

Ibrahim said the organisation had played major role in the sector by identifying three imminent challenges namely technology, expertise and markets.

“To create this future, the APPO Ministerial Council approved the recommendations of the APPO Long Term Strategy Committee to take three practical steps to address the imminent challenges,” he said.

The theme of the conference is: ‘The Future of the Oil and Gas Industry: Opportunities, Challenges and Development’. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Dr Henry Adimula, Principal and Chief Executive of PTI (Middle) flanked by Dr Tina Isichei, Director, Research and Development, PTI and Mr Sulaiman Sulaiman of NNPC Ltd Academy
Oil & Gas

PTI strategises on policies for cleaner energy

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) is strategising on policies to spur industry’s growth and lay a solid foundation for transitioning into cleaner sources of energy.

Dr Henry Adimula, Principal and Chief Executive of PTI, said this while addressing newsmen on its forthcoming 3rd Biennial International Conference on Hydrocarbon Science and Technology (ICHST).

The conference is scheduled to hold in Abuja from Oct. 23 to Oct. 24, 2023 with the theme “The Future of Oil and Industry Opportunities, Challenges and Development”.

The conference, organised in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) Academy and RTI and African Petroleum Producers Association (APPO), would be hosted by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

Adimula said apart from formulating practicable policies which the conference aimed at achieving, it also looked forward to take into considerations evolving technology needed for future development and its workforce in the course of policy implementation.

“The whole world is in a phase, transiting from our traditional source of energy to a cleaner form of energy which provides a lot of opportunities but come with challenges which we must surmount.

“The challenges are on issues of financing, government policies and regulations and how they affect our proposed match to finding a cleaner source of energy and at the same time not creating problems of energy poverty,” he said.

He said the conference which was conceived to showcase its major activities and research outcomes in Nigeria and Africa at large would also examine current issues in Nigerian energy industry and worldwide.

“By being a research hub, we look at the challenges then create a research clusters around Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) to find solutions and understand problems better,” he added.

Speaking on developing technologies in modular refineries, he said PTI as a primary training institution created such to help advancement of technology in that space.

“Looking at the practice and lack of technology being used by artisanal refiners we focus on developing concepts and training refiners so that whatever they do will not adversely affect environment.

“As an institute we have built up our own but will scale it up and find ways to make it commercial. We have our templates so that it is easier to bring people in and teach them on various components of what to encounter in the field.

“What we have today are people who do not know anything about refining but go into the creeks and begin to create pipelines, cook oil.

“No, we do it differently by training and equipping the refiners with necessary skills and various components of what to encounter in the field and contribute meaningfully to the economy,” he said.

Dr Tina Isichei, Director, Research and Development, PTI said issues bordering CCUS technology and inclusion in the curriculum would be deliberated on in the conference.

This, she said would assist the trainees to understand latest things in the industry.

She disclosed that the PTI is partnering with the NNPC Ltd to come up with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered Tricycle in view of the emphasis on the decade of gas and cleaner energy source.

“Discussions are on and the whole idea is to come up with one so that we could have gas to reduce amount of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) we consume and emission going into the atmosphere,” she said.

Isichei, who explained that its modular refinery which had capacity of processing about 200 litres of crude was being used for training, added that it was looking for partners to scale it up beyond 200 litres.

The conference which will feature ministers, legislators, international and local industry players will have four panel sessions on policy and legislation, strategies for decarbonisation, finance and talents.

PTI was established to train technicians and technologists for the energy industry. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

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