Oil Exploration Continues After 10,000 Feet Deep Operation In North — NNPC

Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroluem Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru has stated exploration in Northern Nigeria will continue despite having gone 10,075 ft deep in the oil exploration on the Kolmani River II Well.

The NNPC boss disclosed this in Kaduna on Thursday at the 40th edition of the Kaduna International Trade Fair.

He said the corporation is working on the Kolmani River II with optimism and high expectation.

He said the exploration will enable the NNPC do a massive appraisal of the discovery of gas reserves made in 1999 in the region.

Baru said President Muhammadu Buhari has personally urged the corporation to go back to exploration on the Kolmani River II Well.

Drilling, he said, has been going on smoothly, stating as at Thursday’s morning, the corporation has dug 10,075 ft deep with a target to reach 14,270 ft exploration.

“The main purpose of this well is to start some massive appraisal of the discovery that was made way back in 1999 of some gas reserves in Kolmani River 1 and so far the drilling has been going on smoothly to enable exploration.

“We will do the needful, if we need to probe any particular section we will take our time to do it, our target date is to see that by the end of May, we complete exploration on that particular well and move to Kolmani River iii which site is almost ready for the rigs to move there and from there we move to other locations,” he said.

He urged stakeholders at the fair to provide an opportunity for stakeholders and long term exhibitors like NNPC to take stock of their participation through the years with a view to consolidating on areas of strength, while working on avenues for improvements.

Baru said the loss of agriculture to crude oil exploitation has retarded local industries that feed on agricultural produce as feedstock, prominent among which he said are the textiles industry as well as tanneries in the North.

On product availability, the NNPC GMD said as supplier of last resort, the corporation would continue to ensure that the nation is wet with “white products” that enable local business movements of goods and services are guaranteed.