[size=14pt]Nigerdock: A Feat and Its Significance[/size]
17 Mar 2012
By Ejiofor Alike

[img]Nigerdock-1703.jpg - Nigerdock-1703.jpg[/img]

Nigerdock

The locally-fabricated Abang and Itut platforms by Nigerdock Nigeria Plc inaugurated Friday in Lagos by President Goodluck Jonathan is no doubt a major feat and a boost for the Local Content law as already indicated by the President. Many will, however, appreciate this accomplishment more when the milestones in the project are put in sharp focus.

In August 2008, Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) awarded Procurement and Fabrication (PF) contracts to Nigerdock Nigeria Plc FZE for the Satellite Fields Development Programme Phase-1 (SFD-1).

The NNPC/MPN Satellite Field Development Project Platforms – Abang and Itut-are the first fully integrated decks to be fabricated, pre-commissioned and tested entirely in Nigeria.

Abang and Itut fields are located in Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 67 and 70, Offshore Nigeria.

The project is intended to develop the resources of over 20 discovered but undeveloped oilfields in the NNPC/MPN) Joint Venture acreage.

It seeks to recover more than 100 million barrels of oil and over 20 million barrels of oil equivalent of natural gas liquids.

The project involves the construction and load out of two offshore Wellhead Platforms complete with Jackets, Piles, Boat Landing Platforms and subsea templates.

It is a landmark achievement in the Nigerian Content development as the facilities are the largest fabrication contracts carried out in-country by Nigerian companies for the NNPC/MPN Joint Venture.

The construction involved over 2.5 million man-hours, without any Lost Time Incidents (LTI) and this impressive performance earned Nigerdock a prestigious safety award by Mobil.

The project aligns with President Jonathan’s vision of promoting Nigeria’s interest in the oil and gas sector, through an efficient industrial base and a highly skilled workforce that has substantial input of Nigerians.

Total steel tonnage fabricated by Nigerdock as the Procurement and Fabrication (PF) contractor is about 2,980 metric tonnes.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigerdock-a-feat-and-its-significance/111649/

Thumbs up Nigerdock!!! I can make bold to say Nigeria is gradually making progress in this sector.

[size=14pt]Jonathan: Local Content Law Achieving Results[/size]
17 Mar 2012

[img]http://serving.thisdaylive.com/0bef99d6-acf5-4e2c-9779-8fa02ba3fcd4/assets/Goodluck-Jonathan-(L)1307.jpg?maxwidth=400&maxheight=540[/img]
President Goodluck Jonathan (L) with Governor Babatunde Fashola on Jonathan’s arrival at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja... Friday

By Ahamefula Ogbu

President Goodluck Jonathan Friday said the completion of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria Satellite Fields Development Platforms locally was a proof the local content law was already yielding the expected transformational results.

Speaking while commissioning the locally fabricated Abang and Itut platforms in Nigerdock Compound, Snake Island, Lagos, Jonathan, who signed the Local Content bill into law, said since oil and gas account for over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s revenue, the locally fabricating jobs would have a lot of employment potentials when fully developed.

"What we have witnessed today is a demonstration of the rightness of the local content law. When you consider that oil and gas sector accounts for over 80 percent of the country’s income then you will appreciate the importance of what the law can do to transform our economy," he said.

He said the feat was a demonstration of the capacity of local companies to deliver and develop capacity. The President charged Nigerians to begin to patronise locally made goods.

He used the opportunity to also lay the foundation of a skill base in the company to reassure investors who add value to products and services in the country of the resolve of his administration to continue providing the enabling environment for them to thrive in business.

Jonathan said the feat recorded by Nigerdock would be more appreciated when the technological and infrastructural challenges being faced in the quest to attain capacity are taken into consideration.

Also speaking at the occasion, Chairman of Nigerdock Nigeria Plc, Mr. Anwar Jarmakani, said though the two platforms were the first fully integrated decks to be locally, fabricated, pre-commissioned and tested in Nigeria, his plan was that the integration of the next Floating, Processing, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) would be locally done to further contribute to the development of the sector.

He said the company’s safety record while fabricating the platforms of 2.5 million man hours had already won it awards from reputable oil companies and was a subject of commendation at the just-concluded Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja.

"The construction of Abang and Itut Platforms cannot be overstated on this historic day. The project compromises the construction and load out. Of two offshore Well head Platforms complete with Jackets, Piles, Boat Landing platforms and subsea templates. They are the first fully integrated decks to be fabricated, Pre commissioned and tested entirely in Nigeria. For this astounding achievement, I wish to acknowledge our very talented workforce who had shown dedication from the very start of this project," he said.

Jarmakani said the event took the Nigerian content drive closer and faster to its objectives and assured that they will consistently strive to break more grounds until those jobs that use to be handled abroad were locally made.

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezeani Allison-Madueke, said with Nigerdock’s achievement, the about $150 billion to be spent in the next five years would benefit local companies and fabrication yards.

She described the feat as a "small testimonial that local content law is delivering expected results and create employment," adding that it was a proof that partnership was working in Nigeria.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola said the progress recorded was a demonstration that with the right legislations and policies, development would follow. He pledged his support for any drive that will create wealth and employment.

President of Exxon Mobil, David Krugger, commended the safety record saying it marked a significant contribution to local content development.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/jonathan-local-content-law-achieving-results/111650/

Fresh Air!!!

Pictures please.