The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Denzil Kentebe on Wednesday in Port Harcourt commissioned Bell Oil & Gas glassfibre spooling facility, which is reputed to be the first of its kind in Africa and worth about $4m.
The facility manufactures pipes with diverse bends and angles, delivering liquids to various outlets at different temperatures and pressures, hence cannot be manufactured in conventional pipe mills.
Spools which are forms of Glassfibre Reinforced Epoxy (GRE) pipes, believed to be resistant to corrosion because they do not have metal as part of its composition and can handle pressure up to 3500 pound per square inch (psi) and temperatures of up to 121 degrees centigrade.
Speaking at the occasion, the Executive Secretary commended Bell Oil & Gas for the investment, which came on the back of the Board’s Nigerian Content Equipment Component Manufacturing and Certification (NCEC) program commenced under the leadership of the pioneer Executive Secretary, Dr. Ernest Nwapa.
He described the NCEC initiative as laudable, pledging that the Board under his leadership will continue to implement the framework and other programs geared towards encouraging investments and establishment of facilities in Nigeria.
Speaking further, Kentebe noted that such facilities contribute to the Board’s vision to use Nigerian Content as a vehicle to industrialize Nigeria and create employment and training opportunities for qualified Nigerians.
He stressed that the strategic focus of the Board is to create shop floors that will train and empower Nigerians in all sectors of the industry, adding that NCDMB will continue to promote hands-on training opportunities in manufacturing, engineering, fabrication, marine, subsea, drilling and well services and all other activities across the value chain.
In his welcome address, the Managing Director of Bell Oil & Gas, Mr. Kayode Thomas explained that the company blazed the trail in the installation of GRE pipes in Nigeria since 2004 on Bonga floating production, storage and offloading platform.
He announced plans by the company to take on complex projects, become certified to train and certify other trainers and make Nigeria the West African hub for GRE pipes.
He said the company’s motive is to add value in-country, create employment, contribute to its host communities and further demonstrate that Nigerians can do big things in the industry.
He expressed regret that some operating and service companies still take jobs abroad even when capacity resided in-country, adding that such firms will need to change or be compelled to.
In his remarks, the Chief Operating Officer of Bell Oil & Gas, Mr. Ayo Aderibigbe explained that the company’s investments had changed the scenario where all spools required in Nigeria were made in factories abroad, thereby exporting jobs and draining foreign exchange.
He stated that the company had in the last one year fabricated a substantial quantity of the spools used on Total’s Ofon 2 project as well as Chevron’s Domestic Supply Obligation and had got various spooling contracts from Subsea7, Nigerdock, Pontecelli, and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).
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