…For over 60 years in Nigeria, Total is actively involved in all the value chains of the industry
… With 577 petrol service stations spread across the country, Total meets energy needs of millions of Nigerians.
-Divine Efemena
The Managing Director and Country Chair, Total Companies in Nigeria, Mike Sangster, has commended the Nigeria Independent Petroleum Summit (NIPS), taking place in Abuja as a major event in the calendar of the Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria.
Sangster was of the view that NIPS has become a veritable platform for policy makers and industry players to come together and share experiences and ideas on contemporary issues facing the industry while charting a path for the future.
He opined that the theme of the conference, Widening the Integration Circle: Technology, Knowledge, Sustainability, Partnership, is especially appropriate given the current challenges facing the oil and gas industry globally. “I am sure we will all leave here at the end of the conference better enlightened on the various avenues through which our industry’s integration circle could be widened.”
Sangster made it known that in terms of partnership, Total is proud to have been a reliable partner to Nigeria for over 60 years and actively involved in downstream, midstream and upstream sectors. Total has 577 petrol service stations spread across the whole country, thus meeting the energy needs of millions of Nigerians. In midstream, the company is a shareholder in NLNG, where it has recently taken FID on Train 7. In upstream, it has significantly increased its production with the startup of the deepwater Egina field with a production capacity of 200kb/d.
In terms of technology, with its presence in 130 countries around the world, Total is able to bring to Nigeria its experience and technical capabilities. Egina was a game changer in terms of technology transfer and local content with over 46 million manhours worked in Nigeria, including 6 FPSO topside modules being built and integrated in Nigeria, a 1st for Africa.
The Total MD/Country Chair, noted that going forward, the company is actively pursuing digital technologies in Nigeria and has launched a Digital Transformation Project to improve its efficiency and reduce costs by leveraging its experience in Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Big Data and machine learning.
On the aspect of sustainability, there is classic definition which of course relates to reducing impact of activities on the environment. In addition to reducing the carbon emissions from its oil and gas activities, Total is also investing in solar projects in Nigeria.
He noted that the company sees sustainability as how it works with communities and contribute to the economic development of Nigeria. Along with NNPC and its other partners, Total has a robust Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) portfolio that includes youth empowerment; health care delivery, education, sports, and infrastructure development in communities across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
According to Sangster, Total annual spend on CSR is in excess of 40 million USD. Typically, last November, the company commissioned various projects in all parts of the country, and especially in the North East to alleviate some of the deprivations caused by insurgency in that part of the country.
Another aspect of sustainability concerns the business environment in Nigeria. Total has demonstrated its commitment to Nigeria with significant investments over recent years on JV assets (OML58 Upgrade and Ofon Phase 2 in particular) in addition to the much acknowledged Egina.
Sangster stated further that Total is keen to continue to invest in Nigeria and to contribute constructively to the ongoing debate about the Petroleum Industry Bill.
Thus “We welcome the efforts being made by the authorities to define a long-term framework for the Oil and Gas Industry that provides clarity & certainty, provides competitive terms and a win/win solution for the country and investors. We support the desire of the Honourable Minister to modernise Petroleum Legislation, and welcome the opportunity to engage with the authorities. A progressive PIB could be the catalyst needed for a new wave of investment in Nigeria instead of other countries and hence contribute to the sustainability of the Oil & Gas Industry.”
Sangster thanked organisers of NIPS for their dedication to excellence and urge all participants to consider the event as part of their contributions to national development.
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