Oredola Adeola
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Nigeria LNG are currently have embarked on an onsite out-of-country monitoring visit to South Korea to inspect facilities fabricating Pressure Vessels, Columns, Heat Exchangers, and Filters for the Train 7 project awarded to the consortium of SAIPEM, Chiyoda and DAEWOO (SCD JV).
Advisors Reports in a statement obtained on Thursday gathered that the visit commenced from March 18 and was scheduled to end on March 22, 2024.
The Monitoring visit is being led by Engr. Felix Ogbe, Executive Secretary NCDMB, and Mr. Abdulmalik Halilu, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, NCDMB.
The Nigeria LNG Ltd team is led by Dr. Philip Mshelbila, Managing Director, and Mr. Andy Odeh, General Manager, External Relations, and Sustainable Development (ER), NLNG.
The NLNG Train 7 project is important to the Federal Government of Nigeria as it seeks to increase NLNG’s production capacity by 35% from 22 Million Tons Per Annum (MTPA) to 30 Million Tons Per Annum (MTPA), thereby enhancing Nigeria’s position as a leading LNG exporter.
According to the statement, the visit would assess capabilities in out-of-country yards, plan for in-country capacity development, in readiness for future LNG train projects, obtain relevant data on project status for fabrication of Pressure Vessels, Heat Exchangers, Columns and Filters and ensure strict compliance of the project with commitments contained in the Nigerian Content Compliance Certificate signed by both parties.
Executive Secretary of NCDMB during the project update meeting, commended the contractors for their resilience and the impressive quality of the job done so far.
He therefore admonished them to build more capacities in Nigeria so that future projects of this nature can leverage capacities built in Nigeria.
Ogbe also emphasized the continuous collaboration with NLNG Ltd to ensure the project’s success while also maximizing its positive impact on Nigeria’s economy and global LNG industry.
Advisors Reports further gathered that in November 2023, during a recent review engagement between senior officials of the NCDMB and NLNG Ltd, it was revealed that the ongoing construction of the Train-7 project at the firm’s base at Finima, Bonny Island, Rivers State had reached 52 percent and engages 8,300 Nigerians of diverse skill sets.
According to the Nigerian Content Plan signed in March 2019, the Train-7 scope will deliver 100 percent in-country fabrication of the Condensate Stabilization Unit, pipe-racks, flare system, and non-cryogenic vessels.
Site civil works on roads, piling, jetties and will also keep local businesses occupied.
NCDMB officials had confirmed that the project will also provide great opportunities for the utilization of local goods and services in addition to enhancing and developing new capacities and capabilities for the local supply chain.
There will also be 100 percent local procurement of all LV cables and HV cables, all non-cryogenic valves, protective coatings, and all sacrifice anodes. 70 percent of all non-cryogenic pumps and control valves will be assembled in-country.
Other spin-off opportunities would include logistics, equipment leasing, insurance, hotels, office supplies, aviation and haulage.
Senior personnel of the NCDMB had also affirmed that the increased number of NLNG Trains would also provide huge business opportunities for local businesses to build capabilities in the maintenance of LNG plants, especially in the area of cryogenics.
The project would also catalyze other upstream gas supply projects required to keep the LNG train busy and make stranded gas fields in the shallow and deep offshore in the area economical.
