Page 13 - DMEA Week 31 2022
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DMEA                                        NEWS IN BRIEF                                             DMEA

























       conceived to support President Muhammadu   Development Company (NPDC) facility - oil   countries dangerously short of fuel supplies,
       Buhari’s drive to create millions of jobs for the   mining lease (OML) 111 - near Benin City.   disrupting airlines and causing queues at
       Nigerian populace. He assured that NCDMB   Governor Obaseki has said we were in China   filling stations.
       was committed to create jobs for Nigerians   to sign this Memorandum of Understanding   The refinery restart will provide some relief
       through its direct projects and partnerships   (MoU). I am very impressed that work has   to South Africa, which is a net fuel importer.
       with other project promoters.       moved at such a speed in spite of the delay   Out of South Africa’s six refineries, only
         According to Wabote, “when the Federal   caused by COVID-19 pandemic,” Obaseki   Sasol’s Natref crude oil refinery and its
       Government enunciated the policy on the   said during a recent visit to the facility. “The   Secunda coal-to-liquids plant are currently
       development of modular refineries, NCDMB   plant is ready to receive crude oil; it is ready   operational.
       decided to explore ways through which   to process and it is ready to deliver products.   A Sasol spokesperson said the Natref is
       we can build modular refineries to refine   They have done the pre-commission with the   ramping back up this week after declaring
       products locally. We first partnered with   Department of Petroleum Resources, they   force majeure on crude oil supplies last
       Waltesmith Modular Refinery in Imo State   have certified the refinery. “What we have left   month.
       and it is already operational, refining 5000   now is to finalise the crude oil sale contract,   REUTERS
       barrels of crude per day. Azikel Modular   these facilities have to get a certain type of
       Refinery in Bayelsa State is the second one and  crude from the Escravos line and that is
       this Duport project is the third project and we   being finalised. “I hope that before the end of   FUELS
       believe that it would be commissioned in the   August, we should start lifting products from
       last quarter of this year.”         this refinery.”                      Southern Africa lags in
         Wabote commended the Edo State       President Muhammadu Buhari had said
       Governor for a providing conducive   construction of modular refineries in Nigeria   adoption of sustainable fuel
       environment for the Duport Energy Park   will make petroleum products available in the
       project and underscored the peaceful   country as well as eliminate importation. Edo   At the recent Farnborough International
       disposition of the host communities that   has taken the lead in cement and petroleum   Airshow, in England, US-based global major
       attracted the investment. He said the   products production in Nigeria.  aerospace group Boeing unveiled a new tool
       project has created job opportunities at the   NIGERIAN OBSERVER         to model data, which it designated Cascade,
       construction phase and the employment                                    which was created to map the ways that the
       numbers would multiply during the   Glencore to restart South            global commercial aviation sector could reach
       operations and maintenance phase. He                                     the international target of having net-zero
       restated that one of the key benefits for   African oil refinery in fourth   carbon emissions by 2050.
       the establishment of modular refineries                                    “There are multiple ways to a future where
       is the steady rebuilding of local skills in   quarter                    aviation has zero climate impact,” noted
       refinery operations especially amongst                                   Boeing chief sustainability officer Chris
       the young workforce. Governor Obaseki   Global commodities trader Glencore will   Raymond at the launch of the tool. “We
       has commended the NCDMB for its     restart its Cape Town oil refinery in the fourth   created Cascade on a foundation of credible
       developmental strides and expressed hope for   quarter this year, more than two years after   data and analytical models to allow users to
       more partnership as it continues to provide   a deadly explosion shuttered the plant, Chief   explore various pathways to net zero.”
       favourable working conditions in the state for   Executive Gary Nagle said during an earnings   Different options to provide energy
       all the projects of the Board.      call on Thursday.                    for aircraft propulsion, while significantly
         Edo modular refinery was developed by   The 100,000 barrel-per-day refinery is run   reducing or even eliminating carbon
       two Chinese firms: AIPCC Energy Limited   by Astron Energy, which is majority owned by   emissions, exist. The main ones are hydrogen,
       and Peiyang Chemical Equipment Company   Switzerland-based Glencore. Two people were   electricity (either pure or hybrid technologies)
       Limited. It has a capacity of 6,000 barrels per   killed in an explosion in July 2020.  and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
       day and it is expected to produce 50 percent of   The refinery is restarting after repairs   “We have to take a holistic view to
       diesel (500,000 litres), 25 percent of naphtha   as well as an upgrade to several units. The   decarbonisation,” he pointed out. “And
       (300,000 litres) and 20 percent of fuel oil   company recorded an impairment charge for   when we do that, it is clear that [SAF] is a
       (200,000 litres) from its feedstock.Tim Tian,   the plant of $480 million last year.  necessary lever. We know it will take a ‘SAF
       managing director of Edo Modular Refinery,   A shortage of oil refineries across sub-  and’ approach and not a ‘SAF or’ approach to
       had said the refinery will get its feedstock   Saharan Africa coupled with soaring crude   achieving net zero by 2050.”
       (crude) from the Nigerian Petroleum   prices because of the war in Ukraine has left   “Hydrogen and/or electric propulsion



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