The Ogbele Field, Port Harcourt, recently became a site for re-acquaintance and mutual appreciation during a Ministerial tour. The delegation comprised the Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters, Dr Emmanuel Egbogah, Mr Andrew Obaje, Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), The Deputy Director, Gas Director, Mr Okponajikor and Mr Obiobah, Manager, Marginal Fields.

The delegation visited the field operations of Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Ltd (NDPR), the wholly owned operating Company of Niger Delta Exploration & Production Plc (NDEP). The trip was hosted by Mr Ben Osuno, Chairman, NDEP, Professor Sylvanus Cookey (OFR), Chairman, NDEP Board of Trustees, Host Community Development Trust and Dr ‘Layi Fatona, Managing Director, NDEP, who guided the tour.

It was a truly unique occasion as Mr Obaje, Director, DPR had presided over the approval of the Ogbele Field Farm Out Agreement in 2000, the first of its kind in Nigeria, and was able to observe the rapid progress that had been made. Additionally, Mr Obaje shares common ground with the Chairman of NDEP, Mr Ben Osuno, who earlier in his career was also the Director of the DPR. The presence of Dr Egbogah, Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters, was equally opportune, given his extensive global petroleum engineering experience, and his expertise on petroleum strategy and oil recovery enhancement.

The ministerial visit also coincided with a recent NDPR milestone achievement; attaining Five Million (5MM) barrels of cumulative oil production from the Ogbele Field. The joint visit of the Petroleum Industry big wigs coincinded with the milestone, which was welcomed by the visitors, who praised the effectiveness of the Company’s operations as well as the tenacity of the Company’s Board, Management and Staff in moving NDPR forward.

During the visit, a brief presentation was made by Dr ‘Layi Fatona, NDEP, which allowed for a deeper appreciation of the existing and ongoing field development projects of NDPR and its various achievements to date. The presentation included a guided tour of NDPR’s ongoing drilling, production and gas development activities which most recently culminated in the execution of a first of its kind Gas Purchase Agreement (GPA) between NDPR and the NNPC/Shell/Total/Agip/JV. The visitors also inspected segments of the 20km gas delivery pipeline from the Ogbele Field into NLNG Rumuekpe Manifold. From here, Gas from the Ogbele Field will be delivered into the Bonny NLNG Plant Train 6 by year end, 2010.

At the commissioning of the gas plant, NDPR will monetize its gas assets, eliminating all flaring and thus meeting the Federal Government’s flare out policy; a move which was commended by the visitors. The ongoing installation of the Diesel Topping plant was also inspected; a development effort which was equally welcomed, given that its status as the first such mini refinery

for an Independent operator in Nigeria. Detailed Location Maps containing the gas pipeline route were also distributed, which helped to deepen the visitors’ appreciation of NDPR’s operations.

Dr Fatona, remarked at the end of the visit, ‘We are extremely grateful to the Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters, Dr Egbogah and Mr Obaje, the Director, DPR, for taking the time to visit our operations, despite the inclement weather! Their words of advice and encouragement will be extremely helpful as we look forward to more challenging opportunities in the near future.’

Dr Fatona continued, ‘The distinguished visitors were able to see the totality of the Ogbele Field development efforts and how we are moving NDPR forward, from a small to medium sized Independent operating Company. We appreciate all who have supported us through the highs and lows of this journey, especially our loyal shareholders, who have made the Ogbele dream a reality!’

The visitors were also welcomed by staff of the NDPR and NDEP team, including Mr Onyema Ubani, Production Operations Adviser, Mr Francis Ilesanmi, Well Engineering & Completion Adviser, Chief Edirin Abamwa, Sub-surface Petroleum Engineering/Development Adviser, and Mr Felix Molokwu, New Business Development Manager.