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By Joel Anekwe
Nigeria’s Natural Gas Reserve has risen to 206.53 trillion cubic feet (tcf), the Department of Petroleum Resources DPR has announced, describing it as a development showing that the country’s declaration of the gas decade is on course.
Sarki Auwalu, managing director and CEO of the Department of Petroleum Resources, made this known in a presentation at the Nigerian International Petroleum Summit on June 10.
Of this figure, associated gas which is gas discovered while drilling for oil, stands at 100.73 tcf while non-associated gas reserves now stand at 105.80 tcf.
Auwalu praised independent field operators who he said played a critical role in developing the reserves.
The participation of independents field operators in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry has been growing even as international oil companies retreat due to a difficult operating environment marked by insecurity and endless agitations by communities where oil is explored.
However, indigenous producers have proven to be better at managing community agitations and navigating the challenge of limited funding by collaboration and sharing resources.
“Now, they are making a difference. For example, Shoreline Natural Resources Ltd, an independent producer alone contributed to 2.5 tcf of this proven gas reserve.
Nigeria attained the target of 200 tcf of 2P Reserves by the Reserve Declaration as of January 1, 2019, before the 2020 target year.
“As a department, we have continued to drive industry performance to grow reserves via dedicated gas exploration, deep drilling, optimal appraisal, field studies, and improved oil recovery.
He added that the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, who also holds the portfolio of the minister of Petroleum Resources, and the minister of State Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, have attained the target.
Auwalu said the increased reserve is a critical lever to achieving a progressive growth to the Decade of Gas for the country declared by the President in December 2020.
