The Institute of Oil & Gas Research & Hydrocarbon Studies held the Oil & Gas Product Forum “Lagos 2018” on Monday October 22 2018 at the Sheraton Lagos Hotel & Towers, Ikeja, Nigeria by 12 noon prompt and the theme for this year’s forum was “Oil & Gas Product Manufacturing: Prospects, Challenges & Progress ”. The meeting discussed issues surrounding the oil and gas product manufacturing in an unable environment; obtaining international long term funds; advantages of the application of FRP technological solutions in oil & gas industry.
The other essential topic that was discussed has to do with understanding the importance of the Oil & Gas Free Zones, etc. The Chairman-in-Council of the Institute of Oil & Gas Research & Hydrocarbon Studies (IOGRHS), Prof. Akin Akindoyeni in his welcoming address said that emphasis should be made on ways of repairing and maintaining the existing crude oil processing plants in Nigeria for maximum petroleum products manufacturing and that the authorities should continue to find ways of establishing additional refineries in order that Nigeria may produce adequate of petroleum products for local consumption. This will reduce or eliminate the payment for fuel subsidy. Some quality brands that are doing very well were rewarded with the Oil & Gas Product Awards 2018. They include, Cledop-The Salt Pill Brand, Honeybrook-BR Mixer Technology Brand, Doowegas LPG Skid Plant Brand, ABD-Chevron Oronite Lubricant Additives Brand, Nigachem Superpower Seismic Detonator Brand, Dozzy Powerflo Extralife Diesel Engine Lubricant Brand, Hacops Brand, Seahorse EP 140 Brand, Nif-Universal Electro-Fusion Welding Machine Brand, Technogas Cylinder Brand, IPI Tank Farm Series, Juneng FRP Composite Brand, Valve Lubricant 601 Brand. Products that utilizes petrolatum as one of the ingredients were also considered: Unilever-Vaseline Petroleum Jelly Brand, Vinoz Anti-Dandruff Conditioner, Anochemical-Sky Hair Grow & Darkening Cream Brand.
The Chairman address and some of the papers delivered and photographs taken at the event are hereby attached:
WELCOME ADDRESS
SHERATON HOTEL AND TOWERS, IKEJA, LAGOS. 22ND NOV. 2018
WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL –
Prof. Akin. Akindoyeni, OFR, mni
PROTOCOL
The Institute of Oil and Gas Research & Hydrocarbon Studies was established and registered as a cooperative intervention organisation, between the public, intellectual and private sectors, with the objective of contributing to the development, stability and growth of our Oil and Gas and hydrocarbon industry, through authentic research studies, garnering of the precious experiences of the doyens of the industry and the dissemination of the fruits of these endeavours to the public, private and international stakeholders.
To this end, the Institute has not been limited in its geographical spread to the confines of the Nigerian boundary. Our membership has been made, not only transnational, but deliberately international, so as to harvest the fruits of knowledge enterprises in this all-important sector of the world economy, for the benefit of mankind.
This Forum is aimed at exhibiting the current posture of Oil and Gas products manufacturing, using the current ambience of Nigeria as an example, to expose the challenges and prospects in the industry.
Taking into cognisance the progress being made elsewhere in the energy production industry, it is pertinent to project our views to the future of the industry and its economic and infrastructural benefits to humanity in general and to developing nations in particular. It is common knowledge that tremendous progress is being made in the production of shale oil, sand oil and other energy sources with a view to reducing green gas emission in their combustion. If the current rate of progress is maintained, then the need for heavy oil production will be reduced to the manufacture of the bye-products such as grease and hard polymers only. There are also other unexploited mineral hydrocarbon deposits available in commercial quantities in such countries as Nigeria, Gabon, etc. A typical example is the unexploited Nigerian Bitumen deposit. With the current trend of development in finding more economic alternatives for traditional oil and gas as well as hydrocarbon products for human use, countries with such deposits may soon find these minerals unnecessary to exploit in the face of more efficient alternatives.
We are advocating a rethink in the exploitation of these products in the face of the trends mentioned above.
As at the present time, Nigeria produces crude oil, exports it to other countries where they are refined and the products repurchased by this country. In other words, we collect the proceeds for our natural resource but give it right back to those who purchased it from us in the first instance. This Institute had recommended that our refineries be repaired, refurbished and maintained to produce, at the minimum, the nation’s requirements in the refined products without having to purchase such from elsewhere. In so doing, we could at least ensure the exploitation of our resources for our domestic benefit, industrial development and improved welfare of the nation as well as keep the proceeds from exported resources.
An important area which should also not be overlooked is the pollution of the oil field environment. The current environmental cleaning effort is unsatisfactory, to say the least. More importantly, to what use will those sites be put after cleaning? For previous agricultural land, it will no longer be useful. We are advocating for funds to objectively research into most probable use(s) of such sites after the cleaning exercise. We believe the responsibilities of the oil companies are not exhausted until there is an economic utility conclusion of the exercise.
The erstwhile Petroleum Governance Bill was a step in the right direction but is deficient in many facets. Perhaps the most poignant of all is the fact that it provides for the control of the industry’s destiny to still remain firmly in the resolute grip of the public sector.
Commercialisation of a government enterprise without privatisation is grossly dysfunctional. It is a well known and globally accepted principle that governments are not efficient in business, commerce or industry. Governments are most efficient in regulatory efforts, providing the standards required to produce efficiency in the nation’s endeavours. Perhaps those advocating restructuring of the governance of the nation should include this dictum in their advocacy. In progressive democracies like Australia, the Nederland, etc, private sector occupation of commerce and industry is the accepted structure. In accepting and appropriating this principle, we are likely to also gain the benefits of objective, dedicated and focused research aimed at industrial scientific and economic development. Furthermore, limiting the direct distribution of the yields to the State and Federal Governments, to the exclusion of the traditional land owners, has continued to create disaffection among the peoples. The governance Bill has noticeably ignored this important fact, addressing which would have contributed to the enhancement of peace in our oil producing areas. It is pertinent that we observe what is practiced in other petroleum producing countries other than the socialist and Middle Eastern Islamic States.
These are areas this Institute is encouraging our research scholars to study for useful information and recommendations. The Institute hereby requests all stakeholders in the industry, particularly Government organisations and the Oil Companies, to financially support our research efforts in these areas.
This Forum has been organised to explore the current processes involved in the manufacture of oil and gas products. We are grateful to the resource experts who will be sharing their intellectual products and experiences with us today. We acknowledge the support of the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, the NNPC, Our partners in the Banking Sector (First Bank, Access Bank and UBA), Sheraton Hotel, The Guardian and Daily Trust Newspapers and other individuals and organisations who have endorsed our vision and mission in the support and development of this industry. We welcome you all to this Forum and hope that we shall continue to enjoy your supports, not only notionally, but also in cash and kind. God bless and prosper you all.
We welcome all participants and stakeholders here present. We believe that both resource persons and participants will leave this forum better enriched in their knowledge of the performance of this all-important industry.
We wish you a rewarding afternoon and a subsequent safe return to your individual and respective bases.
Thank you for coming and God bless you.
Prof. Akin. Akindoyeni, OFR, mni
Lagos, Nigeria 22nd October, 2018
[…] Oil and Gas Product Forum “Lagos 2018” […]