Nigeria, US Firm Partner to Reduce Gas Flaring in Niger-Delta

Abiola Seun

In a bid to reducing the impact of gas flaring in Nigeria, overall environment, Arbel energy and logistics over the weekend disclosed that it has entered into partnership with American company, Zeeco Incorporation, to reduce the economic loss of gas flaring and its impact on the economy.

Speaking at the official introduction of the company to stakeholders in Lagos, the managing director Zeeco, Mr Nigel Palfreeman said gas flaring would be redirected into other area that wound be of more economic benefit to the country and reduce the negative impact on the environment.

He said, “We are here to work and help Nigeria to move forward with environmental products and also in gas recovery and to be able to tackle some of the environmental issues that is going on in the country perhaps not just in the country but around the world.

“Nigeria which is about 7th highest flaring country in the world and with Zeeco the world leader in environmental equipment and combusting technology, will look at the environmental impact on that.

“Gas flaring in Nigeria is quite huge but the other thing is the energy that is lost which can never be recovered so, we can recover it for economical gain.”

The Zeeco managing director also stated the need to recover gas flaring for other useful activities that will preserve the nation’s environment.

“If we are able to recover the gas for something useful then we are also saving the environment and that is the message we are passing cross. How we can help is through partnering with Arbel and with our own expertise, their local knowledge and the ability to put this package together within Nigeria.

“Another way forward is through specific project, like gas recovery and the economic benefit of doing that for the country but also, we are looking at some of the benefits within the environment as well,” he stated.

Also speaking, the chairman Arbel energy and logistics, Mr Umar Ardo, said the company is bent on stopping the environmental issues of flaring of gas especially now that the federal government is trying to go commercial on gas.

According to him, if the gas is recovered, they could be used to generate power and also cooking.

He said, “if we recover the gas that we are flaring, we can use it to generate power and also for cooking because if we do so, we stop the environmental issue by stopping deforestation because we have gas which we can use for cooking and other things but yet we cut down our trees which is advancing desertification and we are losing from both sides on the economy- value of gas which we flare and also by losing the environment by destroying the trees.

“We have to preserve the ecology in other to advance the economy and that is why we partner with Zeeco which is the largest in the world because they have the technology and wherewithal to do it and what Nigeria needs is to key in because they are ready to train Nigerian engineers for two weeks free .

On his own part, the managing director, Arbel energy and logistics, Mr Adefola Amoo, disclosed that Zeeco has no presence in Africa but they have in middle East, Asia, Europe and America while Africa is blank.

“We thought it will be a good idea to make a move by bringing them into Nigeria especially as they have a lot of installed assets in the facilities that have been operating Oil and gas.

“They have equipment in refineries, installation in oil majors, equipment in power so why not come into Nigeria and stop the servicing companies that take care of those things from having to go all the way to Europe or the middle East to get service. The whole world is talking about gas and even Nigeria is talking about ending gas flaring so, it is interesting to note that Nigeria is not only an oil country but a gas country in terms of natural resources.

“Nigeria has a lot of gas than drops of oil in reality but what we as a country have been exploiting is oil and this has consequences that has to do with flaring, loss of revenue and deforestation when we have resource that can be used to provide heating and energy for people to use.”

“Those consequences are now having impact and this is the time to deal with it by talking gas and how do you stop burning gas and recover gas and turn it into product that can be used for power, cooking and fire engine.”