Page 10 - DMEA Week 31 2021

DMEA PIPELINES DMEA

NNPC head sees AKK pipeline

boosting Nigerian economy

AFRICA MELE Kyari, the group managing director of said. “He has given us all the necessary support
Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC), and incentives to deliver on this project.”
has said he expects the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano In a reference to recent news reports alleging
(AKK) natural gas pipeline to give a boost to that NNPC was searching for new sources of
Nigeria’s economy. funding because of difficulties accessing Chinese
In a statement delivered by NNPC’s top credits, Kyari also asserted that the AKK project
spokesman Kennie Obateru at a recent industry had not fallen behind schedule. The pipeline is
event in Kano, Kyari pointed out that the AKK still set to begin operating by the end of 2023,
project would provide crucial support to the he stated.
Nigerian government’s domestic gasification His words were echoed by Nigeria’s Min-
programme. ister of State for Petroleum Resources Timi-
The pipeline will be able to deliver at least 2bn pre Sylva, who said at the same event that he
cubic feet (56.64mn cubic metres) per day of gas expected the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK)
to the domestic market in its initial stage of oper- natural gas pipeline to come on stream in 2023
ation, and supply levels are likely to increase in as anticipated.
the future, he said. “Let me assure you that the [AKK pipeline]
The additional volumes will help make gas project will be completed by 2023 as sched-
available across Nigeria, he stated. “What this uled and the aim of rejuvenating the industrial
means is that it will debottleneck the gas supply base of the affected linkage states [will] fully be
network in the entire country,” he commented. achieved,” he was quoted as saying by This Day.
This, in turn, will foster economic growth in the The AKK pipeline will pump gas from fields
agricultural, industrial and manufacturing sec- in the southern part of the country to new
tors of the economy, he added. domestic customers, including TPPs with a com-
Kyari further noted that the AKK pipeline bined generating capacity of 3,600 MW and pet-
would support the government’s electrification rochemical producers that use gas as feedstock.
programme by delivering gas to thermal power As such, it is a key component of the Nigerian
plants (TPPs). government’s domestic gasification strategy.
The project is expected to lead to the estab- NNPC and its contractors began building
lishment of three new independent power pro- the pipeline along a 614-km route that runs
ducers (IPPs) in Nigeria, he said. northward from the left bank of the Niger River
He also thanked Nigerian President Muham- in Kogi State to the capital city of Kano State in
madu Buhari for backing the AKK initiative. June 2020.
“This is possible because of the clear direction When finished, the pipe will have a name-
that Mr. President has shown on the need to plate capacity of 99.11 mcm per day of gas, or
deepen domestic gas consumption, with a view approximately 36.175 bcm per year. Initially,
to creating prosperity out of the enormous gas throughput will amount to around 56.64 mcm
resources we have as a nation,” the NNPC head per day, or around 20.67 bcm per year.™

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