NNPC Reaches Key Milestone in Gas Pipeline Expansion

The corporation intends to adopt Public Private Partnership models in building and expanding the gas infrastructures.

SEATTLE (Oil Monster): The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has achieved an important milestone by commissioning and delivering 500 kilometers of gas pipelines since 2010. Commenting on the aggressive expansion of gas pipeline infrastructure across the country, Dr. Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director of the NNPC stated that NNPC has completed 539 kilometers of gas pipeline projects during this period.

According to Baru, NNPC has played a key role in implementing the Federal Government’s objective to expand the gas pipeline network to all parts of the country. There are permanent gas pipelines connecting all thermal plants in the country, Baru said.

The gas pipelines delivered by NNPC include Oben Gas Plant-Geregu Power Plant pipeline (196 km), Ukanafun-Calabar pipeline (128 km), Escravos-Warri-Oben gas pipeline (110 km), Emuren-Itoki pipeline (50 km), Itoki- Olorunshogo pipeline (31 km) and Imo River-Alaoji gas pipeline (24 km). The ongoing projects are expected to add nearly 1,000 kilometers to the country’s gas pipeline network.

The corporation intends to adopt Public Private Partnership models in building and expanding the gas infrastructures. As part of this model, the Ajaokuta–Abuja-Kaduna–Kano gas pipelines would be built through contractor-financing, whereby selected contractors would fund the project and later recover their cost through transportation tariff. The same model will be extended to other upcoming projects also, Baru added.