The Completion date of Nigeria’s largest gas transmission pipeline, the Oben – Obiafu – Obrikom (OB3) gas pipeline project, has been pushed to 2021.This is due to a crucial part of the construction being handed over to a new contractor who has now been caught up in the global pandemic mix up.
The old contractor’s inability to run a 48 inch pipeline in a 60 inch hole under a riverbed spanning 2.8 kilometers, compelled the state owned Nigerian Gas Transmission Company (NGTC) to hand over that aspect of the operations to Chinese firm – China Petroleum Pipeline Construction Company (CPPCC) and Pipes manufacturer – Brentex Petroleum Services.
The equipment imported by CPPCC for the operation have been held up in the Lagos Port for over three weeks, with Port officials unwilling to allow evacuation of the material citing Coronavirus concerns.
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Delays have seen the project’s completion dates being pushed severally from 2018 to September 2019 and now to 2021. The Oben – Obiafu – Obrikom (OB3) pipeline is Nigeria’s largest gas transmission pipeline and its completion will create the first semblance of a gas grid in the country.
The pipeline system is a critical component of the Nigeria Gas Master Plan meant to ferry gas from the huge reservoirs in Rivers State, eastern Niger Delta to the established industrial markets in the West of the country.
Upon completion, the pipeline being sponsored by the Nigerian government through NGTC will have the capacity to pump 2 Billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.
It’s construction is in line with Nigeria’s goal of meeting the gas demand for power generation and industrial concerns (methanol, cement, manufacturing etc.) with emphasis on operational safety, efficiency and flexibility with a view to providing industry standard, remote supervision and control.
