The Crude Oil Committee of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has bemoaned the delay in the actualisation of full-scale lifting of crude oil from the Kolmani Integrated Oil Filed two years after its inauguration.
Two years ago, former President Muhammadu Buhari, at the twilight of his tenure, inaugurated the Kolmani oil exploration, the first of its kind in Northern Nigeria.
Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in partnership with New Nigeria Development Company drilled two oil blocks OPL809 and OPL810 accordingly at Kolmani. The two blocks transcend neighbouring Bauchi and Gombe States.
Similarly, Kolmani was projected to harbour about one billion barrels of crude oil deposit and about 500bcf. Lifting of crude oil from the field was expected to last up to 2060.
Daily, Kolmani oil blocks were projected to add about 50,000 barrels of crude oil to the overall generating capacity of the country, and, by implication, more revenue to the nation.
NNPCL had engaged Sterling Global to continue with exploration, lifting crude oil and developing the Kolmani Oil Field.
Speaking to journalists at the Kolmani Oil Field shortly after inspecting the level of progress, Federal Commissioner RMAFC, Engr. Hassan Mahmoud, who is also the acting chairman crude oil committee, said the visit became necessary because of the potential of discovered crude oil deposits at the field to contribute significantly to the revenue pulse of the nation.
He said, “We were thinking it wouldn’t take time like this proceeds from this location should go to the purse of the federal government and then the 13% derivation to the two states that own this place.
“We were waiting, and then apparently, the waiting was too long, so we decided to write to the state governments that we wanted to visit the location to see for ourselves because it is always said that seeing is believing.
“Honestly, we are not satisfied with the level of progress at the Kolmani oil field. We will sensitise them to do more.
“Also, the Bauhci State Deputy Governor is here, they are going to go and discuss with the government. They are also going to keep visiting this place until we can see the level of development that we are okay with.”
Engr Mahmoud also noted with dismay the level of corporate social responsibility Sterling Global extends to the host communities.
He insisted that “The community here is not for anything. They are always in anticipation. Since the time, former president Muhammadu Buhari came to commission this place. They have been anticipating development should come but have not seen anything. So, we are serious.”
Our correspondent observes that at the time of the visit, only an excavator and two engineers of Sterling Global were met on the field.
On his part, Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, who represented his principal assured both NNPCL and Sterling Global of the continued support of their administration to see the full actualization of Kolmani Integrated Oil Filed.
“As a government, we have already assured the federal government and whoever is working here, be it a company or multilateral of our wholistic support be it security, social amenities and logistics.
“This has been our stand right from the day that the idea of the development of Kolmani was conceived through to this day,” Governor Mohammed said.
An engineer with Sterling Global, Abdulhamid Aminu said the present efforts are being channelled to drilling two additional wells that would feed the already drilled PL809 and OPL810 before the lifting of crude oil from the site would commence.
When pressed to give a probable timeline for the completion of the drilling of the two wells, Aminu said the two feeder wells should be ready by March next year.
He said Sterling Global would recruit about 13 staff from the local communities as part of its corporate social responsibility.
Aminu also identified areas of education and health for other social responsibility projects for the residents of the host communities.
Recall that recently, Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya who is also the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, engaged the NNPCL over the continuation of the Kolmani oil exploration.
