National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Olabode Adaramola
Against the backdrops of the discovery of Hydrocarbon in Bida Basin, Niger State Government has said it has engaged a Consultant to carry-out preliminary works to determine the availability of Crude Oil in the area.
The state Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Hajiya Rahamatu Mohammed Yar’adua disclosed this in Minna, the state capital on Sunday in a statement titled, “The Bida Basin Project: The Correct Narrative”.
The State Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Hajiya Rahamatu Mohammed Yar’adua disclosed this in Minna, the state capital on Sunday in a statement titled, “The Bida Basin Project: The Correct Narrative”.
She said the clarification has become imperative following the percieved misrepresentation of the state government’ s efforts in some media(National Wire not inclusive) that it claimed that oil has been discovered in commercial quantity in the state.
According to her, consultant was engaged to carry out preliminary works on the basin to determine the availability of oil, adding that shale samples from shallow wells dug by the consultant confirmed the availability of hydrocarbon in the basin.
She however noted that a seismic analysis of the basin was yet to be conducted.
Aside from the efforts of the State Government, Hajiya Yar’adua recalled that, “Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL) and Federal University of Technology,(FUT) Minna, have also conducted research on the basin and have confirmed the presence of hydrocarbon in the Bida Basin”.
She however pointed out that research has not advanced to level of knowing if the Oil and Gas was in commercial quantity.
National Wire learnt that given the financial implications of determining the quantity and viability of the preliminary findings and the resolve of the state government to set the pace in hydrocarbon development, it has taken initiatives to advancing the research.
To this end, she said that state government was in talks with partners from the United Kingdom and Canada for the actualization of the project, while Special Purpose Vehicles are been established to drive the development of the oil and gas sector in the state.
She also noted that Oil and Gas regulatory agencies in the country were fully being intimated of all steps taken so far by the state government.
The Commissioner thereby assured Nigerlites and other stakeholders of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello’s commitment to accountability and rapid development of the state’s oil and gas sector.
