By Ejiro Nesisa
Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited(TSSNL) and others have been lauded as the nation’s crude oil production hits 1.8 millions barrels per day(1.8pd) just as gas production has risen to 7.4 billion standard cubic feet per day (7.4bscfd). This was disclosed on Thursday by the Board and Management of NNPCL through the organization’s Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mele Kolo Kyari during a press briefing.
Against this background, stakeholders have lauded NNPCL and other private security agencies hired to safeguard the nation’s economic assets, especially Tantita, for this laudable achievements. In order to protect crude oil and pipelines vandalism in the waterways, Tantita has lately led a relentless war against oil thieves in this regard which has led the seizure and confiscation of their equipment of the illicit trade. It was reliably learnt that most of the oil thieves abandoned the nefarious business in the wake of the onslaught and ceaseless heat by the operatives of Tantita Security Services positioned in the coastal axis of the Niger Delta.
The collaborative efforts between these security agencies with other state actors have , no doubt, contributed to the latest rise in the quantum of production of crude and gas resources in the country. It was learnt that Tantita has initiated clampdown measures in conjunction with other industry stakeholders to keep the oil thieves at bay with a view to realising 2 million bpd of crude oil production by the end of December this year. According to NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Kyari, the feat was achieved in compliance with the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Kyari congratulated the Production War Room Team that anchored the production recovery process.
“The team has done a great job in driving this project of not just production recovery but also escalating production to expected levels that are in the short and long terms acceptable to our shareholders based on the mandates that we have from the President, the Honourable Minister, and the Board,” Kyari stated.
On the efforts of the Production War Room, the Chief War Room Co-ordinator and Senior Business Adviser to the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lawal Musa, said the feat was achieved through the collaborative efforts of Joint Venture and Production Sharing Contract partners, the Office of the National Security Adviser, as well as government and private security agencies. He said the interventions that led to the recovery of production cut across every segment of the production chain, with security agencies closely monitoring the pipelines.
According to him, when the Production War Room team was inaugurated on the 25th of June 2024, production was at 1.430 mbpd, but the team swung into action, culminating in it sustaining the production recovery to 1.7 mbpd in August and hitting the current 1.808 mbpd in November.
“We are confident that with this same momentum and with the active collaboration of all stakeholders, especially on the security front, we can see the possibility of getting to 2 mbpd by the end of the year,” he added.
It will be recalled that the Chairman of TSSNL, High Chief Dr Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, while speaking during an award bestowed on him by the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), promised to ensure that the daily crude oil production output continued to increase and boost the nation’s revenue.
“The only place I have to call my country is Nigeria, so I will do everything within my powers to see that crude oil production increases”, he said.
In reaction to the latest feat yesterday, Tompolo, said he was excited to be part of the success story. Tompolo, who spoke through his Special Adviser Media and Public Communication, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, said Tantita was committed to the realisation of 2mbp by December as directed by President Tinubu.
Tompolo said:”This milestone, as you know, was achieved in collaboration with NNPCL, security forces and of course, Tantita, which has been at the forefront of oil pipelines protection in the Niger Delta . We are determined to take it to 2mbpd before the year runs out as directed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. All the needed machinery has been put in place to ensure that the target is achieved. No effort will be spared to ensure that the economy of Nigeria is galvanised.”
“This will lead to a boost in government’s revenue, thereby making more funds available for the President and his team to run the country effectively. I am assuring you that we are not going to rest on our oars until the target is achieved and even exceeded .New technologies were being deployed to monitor the facilities with a view to ensuring that there won’t be any disruption and that the theft of Nigeria’s commonwealth is halted.
“So the 1.8mbpd that it has got to, certainly by the end of the year, by God’s grace, we will work to get it to 2mbpd and even exceed. We are working towards that,” Tompolo assured through Bebenimibo.