How NIPCO enhances local content in gas sector – Venkataraman

Venkataraman Venkatapathy, managing director, NIPCO Plc says the diversification of the company’s operations into the natural gas through which over 6,000 automobiles now run on gas created vista of opportunities for enhancement and empowerment of local content in the industry.

Venkatapathy who stated that the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) revolution which had offered alternatives for motorist to power their vehicles with gas courtesy of the partnership with Nigerian Gas Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has exposed the local content to the latest technology in gas compression and conversion of vehicles to use gas instead of liquid fuels.

The managing director in a paper presented on his behalf by Rajesh Prabhu, General Manager, Green Gas Ltd, a JV of NGC and NIPCO, at a session on Nigerian Content and Gas Opportunity during the Nigerian Gas Association 10th International Conference and Exhibition held in Abuja said the development of Nigerian Content through plethora of projects tailored around harnessing of human capital remains a central objective of the company in the hydrocarbon industry.

Citing the example of compressed natural gas projects which had resulted in the inauguration of eight stations in Benin, Edo State and Ibafo, Ogun State along with four CNG workshops, the MD explained that the efforts had provided veritable avenue for the local content to gravitate properly in this very technical aspect of converting vehicles to run on gas.

According to him, “The Company was able to utilise the local content through a consistent and pragmatic policy in the area of human capital development which has even seen the organisation surpassing standards set by the Nigerian Content Development Act [NOGICD] 2010 in all its gas projects.

Venkatapathy pointed out that vehicle conversion to enable motorist use gas as auto fuel is now fully manned by Nigerians as the technology has been effectively transferred to them as against when the project took of years back.

He also cited the empowerment provided for Nigerians in the production of Gas Air Mixers, an aluminium casting used in vehicle conversions which are being fabricated by indigenes in the city of Benin, Edo State.

The Managing Director further asserted that the company’s avowed commitment to growing indigenous participation in the CNG initiative revolves around improving indigenous ability in a very pragmatic approach.

According to him, NIPCO has also encouraged technology transfer within its project scope especially in the realm of compressed natural gas operations with all its CNG stations fully manned and maintain by Nigerians.

He expressed delight in the deliverables of Nigerians running its gas projects stressing that the company will continue to expose them to series of training programmes to improve their capabilities.

In the realm of employment, Venkatapathy told participants that hundreds of Nigerians are directly employed with thousands indirectly empowered in its gas projects in all its area of operations.

The CNG project is a novel scheme that has enhanced natural gas utilisation as auto fuel with attendant benefits to motorist in particular and the nation in general through savings in foreign exchange that could have been used to import white fuels

Olusola Bello