The Ogun State Government says a technical team from Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has visited the Eba oil well in Waterside Local Government Area to assess its readiness for commercial drilling.
Gatekeepers News reports that the visit follows the announcement by Governor Dapo Abiodun on January 23 that President Bola Tinubu had approved the commencement of commercial oil drilling in the state.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the state government said preparations are well underway for the launch of drilling activities.
According to the statement, the NNPC team carried out the assessment alongside officials of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and national security agencies.
“The delegation was led by Hussein Aliyu, Project Coordinator for Enserv, who headed the NNPCL Enserv technical team,” the statement said.
“Other members included Wasiu Adeniyi, Onwugba Kelechi, Engr. Rabiu M. Audu, Ojonoka Braimah, Ahmad Usman, Akinbosola Oluwaseyi, Salisu Nuhu, James Amezhinim, Yusuf Abdul-Azeez, Amararu Isukul and Livinus J. Kigbu.”
Hydrocarbon discovery
The state government said geological reports confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons in the Ogun Waterside area, prompting preliminary surveys and technical engagements by the NNPC.
It also said the state conducted an independent verification of the oil well’s coordinates, affirming that the discovery is located within Ogun’s boundaries.
To secure the site, naval personnel have reportedly been deployed for over 18 months, with the support of the Ogun State Government.
The government described the Eba oil well as part of Nigeria’s strategic effort to expand oil production beyond the Niger Delta and thanked President Tinubu for supporting the development of frontier oil basins.
Economic impact
Commenting on the development, Abiodun described it as a landmark milestone for the state.
He said the commencement of drilling at Eba would boost economic growth, create jobs and increase federal presence in the state’s coastal communities.
The governor added that oil production would place Ogun among Nigeria’s oil-producing states, making it eligible for 13 per cent derivation funds from the federal government.
