LAST_UPDATED2 Sunday, 29 July 2012 23:44 Monday, 30 July 2012 00:00

Local content drive in the nation’s oil and gas sector may have achieved positive results with the current handling of a whopping $15.6 million (about N2.5 billion) rig maintenance job at the Lagos Free Zone operators of the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics base (LADOL).  The rig repair has also created over 261 jobs for Nigerians,

The giant rig code-named Noble Percy Jones is expected to undergo a complete maintenance turnaround at the base for a period of ninety days after which it would be satisfied fit for offshore operations for the next five years.

Operations Manager of Noble drilling Nigeria Limited, Mr. Dave Arthur who conducted members of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) round the vessels at the base explained that the company had chosen to undertake the repair works at LADOL because it was sufficiently satisfied with the facilities it facilities as well as other logistics provisions as specified by the Board.

He said: “We are encouraged by the local content policy of Nigeria, coupled with the available facilities here in bringing our job to LADOL, rather than policy consideration.”
“ As part of the objectives of the Nigerian Local Content Development Act (NLCDA), government aims at empowering indigenous companies operating in Oil & Gas, and Maritime service sectors to enable them secure jobs from international oil companies (IOCs).

Experts have observed that the companies involved in offshore logistics services such as Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), are currently making waves in the business of rig repair and maintenance, thereby helping to save the economy from huge economic losses in the tune of billions of dollars as capital flight resulting from exporting Nigeria’s rig repair jobs abroad.

The manager added  that the company decided to do the job at LADOL since it has found the environment conducive in view of the prevailing security challenges in some parts of the region.

In 2011 alone, LADOL handled about three major repair jobs for Ben Avon, Transocean including one of the largest rig repair job ever executed in Nigeria, which is Noble-Percy Jones rig repair.

 As the Transocean –Baltic rig just left the base few days back, Noble Drilling –Noble Lloyd Noble rig is currently undergoing repairs at the base.

Also delegates from Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB)who were accompanied by officials of NAPIMS and Chevron noted that the policy decision (Local Content Act) enabled  Noble to use LADOL.

Listing other reasons why the job was given to LADOL, Arthur who disclosed satisfaction with the level of works at the ongoing repair of the 29-year old rig, stated that the company chooses to repair at LADOL due to the fact that the base is located in a safe environment devoid of community crisis, which is capable of making business to thrive.

He added that the rig will be due for delivery on 1st October, making 100-day.
Commending the local content drive at LADOL, Akintunde Adelana, Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), who described the team’s visit to LADOL as an eye opener and a pointer to the level of growth of indigenous capacity in the nation’s maritime and oil and gas sectors, affirmed that there are potentials yet to be tapped by local and foreign investors in the sector. 

He encouraged management of LADOL to keep faith in their projects, noting that the Content Board would not hesitate at any time to support the base to overcome its market challenges.

Earlier in her presentation titled: ‘Making Nigeria the Hub for Rig Repair in West Africa’, Amy Jadesimi, managing director of LADOL, noted that repairing rigs in Nigeria, has helped the country to benefit from technological transfer through training of pool of manpower, who took part in the repair process.

She stressed that the company in partnership with Samsung Heavy Industries is working on expanding its fabrication capacity from 10,000 tonnes to 40,000 tonnes with the integration of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) fabrication facility in Nigeria, in order to centralize mega oil and gas and maritime fabrication jobs for West Africa in Nigeria.