There are indications that Bauchi and Gombe would sooner or later become an oil producing states following the inauguration of drilling site at the Kolmani River-II well, located at Barambu, a border village between both states by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari while inaugurating the project on Saturday reiterated his administration’s commitment to intensify oil explorations in the country’s frontier basins for a prosperous economy and balanced resources distribution of the nation’s wealth.

The president said the “spud-in of Kolmani River-II well, part of the Gongola Basin, Upper Benue Trough was part of his next level agenda to make Nigeria an industrial economy.

“Today’s event is not only a reflection of our success story but a landmark of promise kept to the Nigerian people.

“Our next level is to ensure exploration effort in all our frontier Basins of Lake Chad, Gongola, Anambra, Sokoto, Dahomey, and Bida Basins, as well as Benue Trough are intensified to usher in more prospects in Nigeria.”

The president who was accompanied by Governors Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi and his Gombe counterpart Ibrahim Dankwambo, noted that oil and gas remained critical part of the country’s economy and as such must continue to show commitment to its sustainability.

This, he said, necessitated his drive for the search of oil in different part of the country on assumption of office in 2015 after his dream of 1984 when he was Nigeria’s Military Head of State.

“Hydro-carbon research in the Chad Basin started under with the Federal Commissioner of petroleum in 1976, and as Head of State in 1984 the exploration continued and resulted to the drilling of 22 wells, two of which are gas shores.

“Since then NNPC has acquired 2000 square meters of 3D seismic data in the Chad Basin before the unfortunate incidence in 2017 which led to the suspension of all activities in the Chad Basin.

“I pay tribute to the university researchers who lost their lives to the regrettable incident. I commend the security personnel who continue to make sacrifice for the some conduct of exploration throughout the country,” he added.

The president, however, said that activities would soon return to the Chad Basin but charged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to ensure the ongoing exploration come in commercial quantity.

Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Mikanti Baru, said the corporation was working to achieve the presidential mandate on the inland basin.

“Today’s epic ceremony represents our commitment to achieving this government’s objectives of increasing the nation’s hydro-carbon reserve base.

“In 1993, the federal government awarded blocks of the Gongola basin to three International Oil Companies (IOCs) – Shell, Chevron and Total; the companies acquired seismic data and drilled one well each.

“One of the wells drilled was the Kolmani River-1 that was terminated at 8,000 feet only, and recorded 33million standard cubic of gas resources but was termed noncommercial.

“The IOCs therefore suspended operation and relinquished the blocks in line with their contractual obligation in year 2000.”

Baru noted that the drilling of the Kolmani River-II well became realistic after NNPC acquired 3D data over the Kolmani River Basin area that saw the identification of six prospects.

The NNPC GMD also listed the exploration activities at the Bida basin as one of their success stories.

“We are also planning massive two-dimensional seismic data acquisition in other parts of the Benue Trough traversing Adamawa, Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue and Taraba states.

“I want to assure you, Mr President, that NNPC will leave no stone unturned in executing your directive.

“We will sustain the intensity of the ongoing oil and gas exploration in the inland basins for our nation,” Baru added.

Reports have it that Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed, Emir of Pindiga, Gombe State, graced the occasion with a retinue of traditional rulers.

Fake news...

I wonder who placed a curse on Nigeria to have such a disaster as a President.Is it not shocking that many young people whose future is in trouble do not seem to be bothered in some terrible countries? Whether in politics where they are grossly shortchanged or in education where ignorance leads knowledge, or in business where there is a clear dwindling fortune! They seem to let these things get on, hoping that chance would just miraculously turn things around for better. No; it is going to be shitty if the future, their future, is a nightmare! They should be annoyed and refuse to be used against their interest. Angels will not come down and make rational choices for you! Youths, you ought to be annoyed and make sure the future is secure!

Anybody that's supports Buhari at this stage should be considered an enemy for life ..What conscience has buhari to ask Benue, Taraba, Niger, kogi, Zamfara, Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa to vote for him after "deliberately" allowing fulani herdsmen to kill thousands of their people and rendering many homeless? Is it not shocking that over 73 people were killed in Benue in a day by people who are still in our midst? Why is Buhari protecting serial murderers like the fulani herdsmen? Why have we not seen any serious effort from the govt in arresting and prosecuting these mass murderers instead of asking Nigerians to submit their land for ranch or be killed? Is anything wrong with those supporting Buhari or are they part of the killer-herdsmen? Mr Buhari lacks the least of competence required to be a modern president. A good leader protects all his nationals including those who hate him but Mr Buhari is very strange. His ethnic and religious infantile chauvinism has polarised Nigeria the more. Nigerians on social media now wage rabid inter-tribal media wars instead of tackling the real issues threatening our existence. How would you expect people who were buying a bag of rice for 9k, a litre of fuel for N97 to buy them at 28k and 145 respectively, to be happy, to praise you and vote for you again? Have their brains been rewired?Vote wisely! Avoid sentiments while casting your votes. Hunger and hardship knows no tribe, religion or party affiliation.

So let's separate this country then since north has their own oil..

I pray it should be 3x more than the ones in Niger delta region so that they can leave the south alone

Racoon:
Granduer delusion.Guess it's now time to divide Nigeria Not even on the most feasible Benue Through/Valley? And what have the previous oil exploration in the core north yielded?

Have the govt rescued the reminant of the kidnapped Univ.of Maiduguri oil exploration team? Why is the Buhari govt desperate about oil while being hypocritical about its diversification to its non-oil economy policy?

Have you made your statement based on any empirical findings from the Gongola basin or are you simply looking for any statement that sticks?

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rusher14:


Have you made your statement based on any empirical findings from the Gongola basin or are you simply looking for any statement that sticks?

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meccuno:
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Ignoramaus.

The usual bad belles from a particular section of the country would descend on this thread to curse the president, and rubbish the claim of oil discovery in Gombe and Bauchi. They are so filled with hatred that they cannot stomach any good news coming from other parts of the country. They shall continue to wail and hate while others shall continue to progress.

seunmsg:
The usual bad belles from a particular section of the country would descend on this thread to curse the president, and rubbish the claim of oil discovery in Gombe and Bauchi. They are so filled with hatred that they cannot stomach any good news coming from other parts of the country. They shall continue to wail and hate while others shall continue to progress.

chad has not and I repeat has not produced one gallon of crude since the noise of its discovery started.the whole of the Benue basin is even yet to see the light of day.Now this president has mentioned Gombe which is also going to follow the same route.
it is just a noise making activity