Dr. Emmanuel Enu and his wife at his 70th birthday organised by NAPE
-By Felix Douglas
It was a joyful mood at the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) first physical Technical Session held in Lagos to honour Dr. Emmanuel Ifeanyichukwu Enu who joins septuagenerian club. Members of NAPE, oil industry professionals, academia, associates and friends converged to celebrate the man who started his journey in the academia as a lecturer before moving to the oil industry.
Dr. Enu was born in Kano State, northern Nigeria, he hailed from Abby in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State.
He holds Bachelor’s Degree of Science, M.Sc. and a PhD in Geology. He lectured at the then University of Ife now (Obafemi Awolowo University) from 1979 to 1991 and grown to become an Associate Professor of Geology. He left the academic world to join Shell in Nigeria in 1991.
Dr. Enu worked for Shell group from 1991 to 2008 and held several positions including Senior Radio Geologist, Head of Evaluation, Head of Geological Services, Head of Regional Studies, Head, Representation and Agreement. He was a pioneer staff of SNEPCo (Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited) and was the first African team lead in Shell Deep Water Centre of Excellence in Houston Texas managing the Niger Delta team at the time.
He became the first Nigerian Deep Water Exploration Manager and held that position from 2004 to 2008 and since he left because of his laid down landmark and trust through knowledge demonstrated in the job, till date, that position has been held by Nigerians in the multinational oil company.
Dr. Enu led a viable team that contributed to a lion share reserved not just for Shell group but Nigeria as a country through successive discoveries which include: Ope 1, Bonga South West 1, Bolia 1, Doro 1, Bonga North West 1, Bogo 1 & 2, Ethan 1 & 2, Zabazaba 1 & 2 and several other follow-ups appraisal wells.
The foundation that he led in the Deep Water Nigeria is what the country is riding on today, for instance, OML 118 which has had many productions and still beign reviewed for oil production in future for the country.
It is not a surprise that Dr. Enu is a well renowned Geologist in Nigeria with an appellation Mr. Deep Water following his immense contributions in the industry. This is due to his vast knowledge of Deep Water Geology and enormous efforts made towards Nigeria reserve aspirations.
He joined a British oil company in July 2008 as the first Nigerian General Manager of Exploration and restructured exploration department of the company. Dr. Enu and other oil and gas professionals revived and established one of the leading independence Nigerian oil and gas company known as First E&P.
After eight years, First E&P has not only attained first oil, it is producing and adding significant production into Nigeria’s reserve base. The company is aggressively into exploration and production and currently has several blocks within the short period of its existence.
Dr. Enu is also the pioneer Executive Director, Exploration for First E&P.
To his credit as a renowned Geologist with vast experiece in the industry, he was a past president of NAPE, a Fellow of the association and an Aret Adams awardee which is the highest award of the association.
Giving his remarks on Dr. Enu, astute Professor Sylvester Adegoke, one of the pioneer lecturers of Geology in University of Ife, (Obafemi Awolowo University), said he knew Enu right from of his days in the university. He was his student and when he became a lecturer after graduating from the university, they worked together to ensure Geology was taken to a greater height. On several occasions, they would seek audience with the Vice Chancellor at that time and offered advice with regards to Geology. Interestingly, before he joined the oil industry, he did exploit and improved Geology as a course in his capacity as an intellectual.
Dr. Enu is an outstanding academia having monstrous accomplishment in the oil industry with colossal achievement in the two worlds of his career.
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