The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu Thursday said that only security clearance will determine whether the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will resume exploration for crude oil in the Lake Basin in Borno State.
Kachikwu called a press briefing in Abuja to specifically commiserate with the families of members of staff and military personnel that were the victims of the attack in the area.
Asked whether the corporation would resume exploration activities in the basin again, the minister noted that NNPC did not kick start activities in the areas until when it got a green light from the security operatives, and that it wouldn’t still resume work there without security clearance.
According to him, if NNPC desist from doing its job because of criminality it portends the danger of bringing the economy to a halt therefore, activities of the corporation in the basin will be based on sufficient security in the area.
He said that exploration activities in the Lake Chad Basin was guided by about 200 security personnel which include the military personnel and JTF.
The security agencies, who are experts in the field of surveillance, will take a second look at the terrain before certifying it safe for exploration activities.
“The reality is this: any time that NNPC decides to go into a terrain, it first has to get the privilege of security apparatus. That security advice was substantially clear for six months. So, that goes to show that there was some level of stability in that area. It wasn’t a misguided venture into the terrain.
“Now, whether we will resume will depend again on what security clearance is given. We took the decision that we are not going to do things because of criminality in that area of the Chad and other parts of Nigeria, it means that the economy will stop. It means oil in the Niger Delta will stop.
“I think my simple answer to that question is that provided there is sufficient security clearance I don’t see why we will not continue for that experience. The lesson we are going to take away is to look at the security apparatus to see whether there is a little more to do. I know that there were over 200 security personnel apparatus including the military, civilian JTF and all that. So it was very well protected.
“Obviously the security agencies who are more experts in that field that I am will take a second look to see what more protection they will put in place. But certainly we will not go back unless they give us a clearance.”
Kachikwu recalled that in line with the aspiration of President Muhammadu Buhari for the country to grow its current crude oil reserve base of over 37 billion barrel of oil, the NNPC resumed exploration activities in the Inland Sedimentary Trough areas.
The minister added that in November last year, based on the advice from the military after successful campaign and degrading of the insurgency in that zone, the NNPC resumed exploration activities in area namely: Gubia Nugumeri, Munguno, Kukawa, Abdam, Guzamala and Mobar all.
He said that insurgent however attacked the staff and soldiers on Tuesday, noting that specific data in terms of those who died were still being collated, adding that the ministry will release the information at the appropriate time.
He said that the Nigerian Army had deployed its soldiers to the areas and that unconfirmed report had it that some rescue was recorded.
The minister also explained that the sealing of 1.8 million barrel per day (mbp) set for Nigeria by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was yet to take effect.
He said merely hitting a production of 1.8mb/d was not sufficient for the sealing to take effect, stressing that it has to be a month to month analysis of the situation and assurance that the country has triumph over what prevented its production before he can report to OPEC that the operating environment is now stable.
This, according to him, has to be within the nine month for which Nigeria was given the exemption.
“First of all, the 1.8 has not come into effect. I am made to report back to them within the nine months’ time when we got the exemption to confirm that we have stabilize production .
“It does not mean because we produced 1.8 in one day mean stabilization. It is a month to month analysis. That is when we get comfort that all the forces that prevented our production are upheld and we can consistently produce above 1.8.”
