The Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engineer Gbenga Komolafe, has expressed delight over the impending increase in oil production.
The CCE shared his view during an official visit to Dubai Drydocks World (DDWD) in the United Arab Emirates as part of regulatory oversight of the EMEM Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel’s sail away readiness.
The EMEM FPSO is being converted at DDWD for Oriental Energy Resources Limited (OERL) and will be deployed to the Okwok Field (PML 15), operated by Oriental Okwok Limited, offshore Nigeria.
Engineer Komolafe undertook a four-hour detailed inspection of the vessel, inspecting critical areas including the Oil and Produced Water Treatment Unit, Gas Injection Modules, Seawater Treatment Facilities, Gas Turbine Generators, Electrical House, LACT Unit, Laboratory, Control Room, and Accommodation Quarters. The walkthrough enabled the Commission to assess the project’s compliance, quality, and readiness for sail away.
Delivering his remarks after the tour of the FPSO, the NUPRC boss said the FPSO’s planned departure to Nigeria was good news as it aligns with the Project One Million Barrels initiative which seeks to increase the country’s oil production by one million barrels.
“This FPSO is coming to Nigeria at a time we are seeking to increase production. It will help in achieving our project One Million Barrels. From what I have seen, I am very impressed and as the regulator, we will continue to give support to Oriental Energy,” he said.
Engineer Komolafe advised Oriental Energy to participate in the next licensing round as the company had shown that it had the capacity to take on more projects in Nigeria’s vibrant oil and gas sector.
“We advise that you participate in the next licensing round at least to optimise your capacity. We are convinced that Oriental Energy has the capacity to contribute to our national development,” he added.
Also speaking, the Executive Vice Chairman, Oriental Energy Resources Limited, Engineer Goni Sheikh, thanked the CCE for encouraging investments in the oil sector.
“We have engaged with your team and they have been working around the clock including Saturdays and Sundays to beat the timelines and attain this. And we must also say that since the start of this project, we have received 100% support from the NUPRC. We thank the regulator for the support and oversight and guidance which the regulator gives us. You are truly a business facilitator,” he stated.
The Okwok Field Development Project represents a strategic milestone in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry, demonstrating growing indigenous technical capability.
The project entails the conversion of Nordic Mistral, a double-hulled crude tanker with 1 million barrels’ storage capacity, into a fully integrated FPSO with a 15-year operational lifespan.
The EMEM FPSO boasts a processing capacity of 40,000 BOPD, 70,000 BLPD, and includes systems for produced water treatment (60,000 BWPD), water injection (60,000 BWPD), gas processing (15 MMSCFD), gas lift (7.5 MMSCFD), and gas injection (3.5 MMSCFD). The vessel accommodates up to 100 personnel and employs a 12-point spread mooring system.
Eniola Akinkuotu
Head, Media and Strategic Communication
