DPR assures oil and gas firms of Nigeria’s support

Chinazor Megbolu

The Department of Petroleum Resources Nigeria (DPR) has assured oil and gas firms of Federal Government support during this #Covid-19 pandemic era.

In a circular on Monday, the oil and gas regulator declared the nation’s l support to the oil and gas firms in Nigeria towards helping them to keep operating despite the ravaging #Covid-19 pandemic in the country and the world at large.

The circular stated that DPR lauded the efforts of these companies in implementing stringent measures towards containing the spread of #Covid-19 in their respective work domain.

It added that DPR appreciated the industry operators, who in one way or the other supported the Federal Government in its fight against the pandemic.

“Your continued collaboration, donations and contributions are well appreciated,” DPR said.

The circular, however, posited that the operators had already adopted strategies based on health and safety of personnel, compliance, stakeholders’ alignment, ensuring work-life balance, leveraging technology as well as ensuring continuity of businesses and operations during this Covid-19 pandemic period.

It hinted further, that most offshore companies put a transit centre in an onshore facility where intending offshore workers are isolated and monitored, prior to embarkation for a 14/14/14, 14/28/14 or 14/28/28 days cycle (that is, transit centre/offshore/off-duty) in compliance with the DPR’s earlier directive on offshore rotation.

DPR maintained in the circular, that the aforementioned was to ensure that asymptomatic carriers are not missed out, adding that a minimum of 14-day isolation period prior to embarkation formed part of their protocol for the management of Covid-19 outbreak as it conforms with the virus incubation period of 2-14 days.

“Some operators have commenced #COVID-19 testing whereas others are making plans to acquire appropriate test kits.

“All companies should ensure that such #COVID-19 test kits and procedures conform to NCDC/WHO standards to guarantee reliable results and avert needless panic that may result from inaccurate testing,”

DPR circular said.