Ekpo hails LEE engineering’s stride on Nigeria’s gas utilisation

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, has lauded the giant strides of the indigenous oil and gas company, Lee Engineering Company, in bringing to fruition the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in mass gas utilisation across the country.

The minister gave the commendation on Saturday, during his visit to compressor stations (CS) at Ologbo in Ikpoba Okha LGA and Okada, Ovia North East, Edo state, where Lee Engineering is building Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (EPLS) for the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

Empowering, who expressed delight at the spate of work at the facility, said that work done so far under three years had positioned Lee Engineering as competent and dedicated company strategically placed to actualise the country’s gas needs.

ALSO READ: LG autonomy, launchpad for development — Senator Ikpea

The minister, who was paying a working visit to the compressor stations, rated the company highly, noting he was happy with the progress of the work.

The ELPS phase III mildline compressor is an Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) by LEE Engineering & Construction Company Ltd (a leading indigenous Oil & Gas Construction Firm and a local Partner of Solar Turbine Inc., San Diego, USA) on behalf of the national oil company.

The project, according to industry watchers, is the largest midline gas compression facility in Africa. The compressor stations are along the existing ELPS Pipeline Right of Way.

The project, when completed, is said to facilitate the transportation of 2.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day by NNPC through the ELPS Pipeline to Nigerian domestic offtakers and the West African region for power generation, industrialisation, and enhanced monetization of national hydrocarbon resources.

With works being executed simultaneously at both compressor stations, the project is currently transiting from construction to commissioning phase, and transmission of compressed gas is expected to commence by the end of the 3rd Quarter of 2026.

When operational, the gas booster stations will increase hydrocarbon gas transportation from the Niger Delta and unlock evacuation constraints in the long term.

After inspecting the project, Ekpo commended the company for making use of local experts to carry out the project.

“Looking around, I have not seen any expatriate, but only Nigerian engineers are involved in building this place, which means we are ready and willing to take the destiny of the country to an enviable level.

“I want to tell the NNPC that a contractor who is living up to date and to expectations should be recognised and engaged in the next gas projects, make sure you take advantage and engage them in future endeavours.

“I’m informed that this is within three years, it’s massive, it takes a lot of dedication and readiness to work with the Federal Government to achieve the need in making gas available to our people. We are in the era of gas and I want to say I’m in impressed, I congratulate NNPC in engaging Lee Engineering for this job.” The minister enthused.

This was just as he had assured that he would recommend that more jobs of such nature be given to the LEE Engineering & Construction Company Ltd to execute.

Ekpo stressed that facilities such as those on site would help in pushing gas to various levels, especially with the F. Line being the main concentration presently.

In his remarks, the Group Chairman, LEE Engineering & Construction Company Ltd, Dr. Lee Ikpea, thanked the minister for coming on a visit to the sites.

He informed the minister that the components in building the stations were manufactured in his factory, saying that the stations were built to last between 30 and 40 years.

“As a Nigerian, I am prepared to make sacrifices for the country to grow, I realised that nobody will develop the country for us. This project is to showcase this,” Dr. Ikpea added.