Reps to Buhari: Fast-track survey of Niger basin for 40bn oil barrels

By Christiana Ekpa 

The House of Representatives has asked the federal government to fast-track the geo-physical survey/seismic data acquisition to ascertain availability of  hydro-carbon in commercial quantity in the Bida Basin also known as Mid-Niger Basin with  capacity to add 40 billion barrels to Nigeria’s oil reserves by 2023.

It particularly urged the federal ministry of petroleum resources, Nigerian upstream petroleum regulatory commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) limited to conclude the geophysical survey that the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR)  started to determine the commercial quantity of oil in the basin.

These followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Saidu Musa- Abdullahi (APC, Niger) at plenary on Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Abdullahi said the Bida Basin also known as the Mid-Niger Basin comprise of eight Local Government Areas including Mokwa, Lavun, Gbako, Bida, Katcha, Agaie, Edati and Lapai in the Southern part of Niger State which extends to two Local Government Areas in Kwara State and one in Kogi State.

He said the Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC had in 2020, announced that the 

NNPC commenced oil exploration activities in the area and that the exploration could add 40 billion barrels to Nigeria’s oil reserves by 2023.

The lawmaker stated that the managing director of NNPC responsible for the frontier exploration services in 2020 said in-depth geo-logical and geochemical studies revealed a strong presence of hydrocarbon-bearing indicators confirmed as oil and  gas-bearing formations in the basin.

He said the House is: “Cognizant that the Seismic Data Acquisition Contract on the identified areas to determine the volume of the hydrocarbons in the Bida Basin was awarded to Integrated Data Services Limited and the China National Petroleum Corporation International Nigeria Limited by the NNPC management.

“Acknowledges that the discovery of oil in another region of Nigeria is good news for the country’s  energy sector and that if the volume of oil in the Bida Basin is established and exploration activities commence fully, Nigeria may, in the near future, overtake Libya, the country with the largest oil reserve in Africa.

“Expectant that the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its relevant Agencies would expedite action for the continuation of the oil exploration activities at the Bida Basin Niger State and other Basins in the Country.

“Further aware that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the NNPC Management to fast-track oil exploration across the Country, following Shell’s discovery of hydrocarbons in the Chad Basin  and Kolmani River, while the NNPC heeded President Buhari’s directive on the Chad Basin as the people of Niger state are anxious about the slow pace of oil exploration activities in the Bida Basin.”

While adopting the motion, the House mandated the Committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.