The Oil and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria (OGSPAN) brought out an innovation in the oil industry known as PETROHUB. It was launched in Lagos for the downstream sector.
President of OGSPAN, Mazi Colman Obasi, spoke to OGODO DOUGLAS FELIX, Editor of Energy Focus Report magazine shortly after the introduction of PETROHUB, that it will create value for operators to collaborate with synergy among stakeholders.
Obasi also emphasized on tracking devices to checkmate sharp practices in the downstream, though effective, it is too expensive. He advocated that for affordable price so that operators can purchase it.
The OGSPAN President said PETROHUB will bring control and discourage indiscriminate parking by truck drivers with sanity on Nigerian roads. Only those who have business with depots can go there to load petroleum products.
Excerpts:
Is this an innovation, launching or introduction of PETROHUB into Nigeria’s downstream?
It cuts across everything you have said. It is launching, innovation and presenting OGSPAN and PETROHUB to the oil industry and the public because this is the first time, we are having such outing of our own. We have participated in other public programmes in the National Assembly, conferences, workshops in the Oil and Gas industry. We are launching a product that creates value in the industry both in the upstream and downstream. Upstream sector uses petrol to carry out their businesses. If we can help to solve a particular problem in the downstream, it will also affect the efficiency of those in the upstream sector. It is all encompassing and we intend to do it in a bigger way. In life, there is also a base line where to start from.
In the video that was played, the focus was on the downstream with little concentration on the upstream. Is this event just about downstream and midstream or the entire value chain of the petroleum industry?
PETROHUB for now as it is presented today is for the downstream. But as time goes on when there is improvement, we will also delve into upstream. But the point is that OGSPAN has come out with a concept which is this first presentation that we want to bring operators and service providers together. We are competing too much in the industry, let us collaborate and do big things that is what Oil and Gas industry means. If you do things that are extra ordinary you will gain international recognition.
With PETROHUB in place operators can vie for jobs anywhere in the world in this industry because Oil and Gas industry is not dying tomorrow. The earlier Nigeria begins to play big, the better. This is what OGSPAN encourages.
There are other initiatives in the industry such as the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) among others. Is there any collaboration between OGSPAN or PETROHUB with these other associations within the Oil and Gas industry?
Collaboration will come in the future. Our existence is based on collaboration and we do not want to do it alone. If there is any area where we can collaborate with each other why not.
Two or three weeks ago the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari was addressing operators in the industry in Lagos, that the time for collaboration and innovation among technology professionals has come and they need to be together. This is a concept that we developed and started in 2006-2007. The current GMD is recognizing what we saw then. We saw it that there is no point doing it alone let’s work together and collaborate to move forward. We are going to collaborate with NNPC, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). This will be done because that is our own philosophy.
It is discovered that apart from NNPC, NIPEX, and DPR which is supposed to champion this event as a regulatory body is not here. Any reason why DPR is not here?
I don’t know. We invited them and we sent invitations all round and we don’t know why they are not here but we will continue to put more efforts.
Are you also getting support from other companies in the downstream because there are so many companies in the sector, is there collaboration?
We hope to do so, this is just our take off. We have to work with everybody that is willing to move forward with the oil and gas industry in Nigeria, who have something to add to what we have now.
On the issue of theft, it is revealed that PETROHUB will be able to check any shortchange in the industry. Can you give your position about this?
On that aspect, there are already companies that have tracking devices. We have written them and we are working with them. When we get to that level, it is just a question of collaboration, they will soon join PETROHUB team.
But there is one snap about it, currently, the prices of those tracking devices are expensive. For instance, the last time I spoke with one of the companies that we are collaborating with, it said, it is N8,000.000.00 (eight million) for the device and which company can afford that? It is very effective from the cloud you cannot tamper with such a device. The issue with technology is that when it comes first it is expensive and at a time it begins to get cheaper. We are appealing to them to find a way of making these devices affordable so that an individual truck owner can afford it. PETROHUB is ready to collaborate with anybody to move forward.
What is your advice for the government, operators in the sector and other petroleum associations in the Oil and Gas industry?
My advice is to encourage the government and its agencies because what PETROHUB is doing is for the good of the country. There is no doubt that we seek fortune out of the system. But more of it is social. We have objectives and social responsibility of what we intend to do.
What PETROHUB is doing has already discouraged trucks from moving freely in the Nigerian roads and streets without control. If the support is given by stakeholders, it will be effective except you are going for a business in any of the depots in the country, no tanker driver can park on the road. Truck parking indiscriminately on roads will not augur well for the economy of the country. Apapa is congested because there is no control in all the depots. It hinders operators in the sector from making progress.
One thing about technology is that it proffers solutions. The future of this country is very important for every stakeholder and the country cannot continue the way things are done. What we are doing is to encourage government, its agencies including operators in the private sector such as MOMAN and NUPENG. There are about six of them and it is a powerful group. We need their support including Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN). There is need for collaboration and this is my advice.
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