HOPE for long awaited improvement in Nigeria’s power generation is in the offing as the Obiafu/Obrikon – Oben, popularly known as OB3 gas transmission pipeline is nearing completion.

A project status update obtained by Vanguard showed that the scope for Lot B of the project is currently more than 80 percent delivered as the contractor, Oilserv limited, an indigenous oil and gas engineering and construction company, is said to be on course to complete its scope by March 2018.

Oil-pipeline

This includes the completion of works relating to survey verification, bush clearing, welding and backfilling of its 65 kilometre stretch of pipeline. According to the update, Oilserv has also successfully crossed 15 major roads with width ranging from 5.02 meters to 26.73 meters through Thrust-Boring mechanism. Using horizontal directional drilling technology, it has also crossed 2 major rivers, 642 meters of Asimiri River, and 724 meters of Ethiope River.

It is currently completing the crossing of the 1,200 metres Jamieson River. When completed, the 127km x 48-inch pipeline system with associated plant facilities will be the biggest diameter-inch gas pipeline in the country with an ullage capacity of 2 billion standard cubic feet, Bscf/d. Vanguard learnt that but for some project delays which included about 20 months’ delay in being given access to the “right of way”, the project would have been completed by now.

This pipeline system is a critical component of the Nigeria Gas Master Plan which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, had been steadfastly nurturing over the past decade.

When completed, the project will totally transform the infrastructure landscape to a state that can enable domestication of natural gas demand and catalyse Nigerian’s economy into one of the most industrialised nations.

Frazimex Engineering, a member of the Oilserv group, handled the entire Engineering design, which is regarded as a plus in the drive to build local capacity in the capital-intensive and technology-dominated industry.

This is the first time the engineering design and construction of the pipeline infrastructure system of this magnitude is being handled by purely indigenous company.

The Lot A part of the project is being handled by Nestoil Limited, another indigenous oil and gas company.

The pipeline system is very strategic as it would boost the availability of gas to fuel the battery of already-developed power plants, and at the same time deepen the availability of gas for other domestic needs.