Nigeria to earn $5.60bn in taxes, Schlumberger $724m oil finance deal ―Baru

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), says the NNPC, First E&P and Schlumberger 724 million dollars oil financing deal will enable Nigeria to earn 5.60 billion dollars in taxes and royalty.

A statement by NNPC’s Spokesperson, Mr Ndu Ughamadu in Abuja on Sunday said that Dr Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director of NNPC, said this at the final signing of the deal in London.

Baru said the package would also provide 1.32 billion dollars in net cash flows after Schlumberger’s cost recovery and compensation in line with the terms of the agreement.

NNPC had in 2017 signed the tripartite term sheet for the financing and technical services arrangement between NNPC/FIRST E&P JV and Schlumberger for the Anyalu and Madu fields under Oil Mining Licence, OML 83 and OML 85, offshore Nigeria.

Under the agreement, global oil services giant, Schlumberger will provide 724.14 million dollars out of the required project cost of 1.082 billion dollars.

The balance of 358.79 million dollars will be funded with cash flows generated by the project.

The Anyala and Madu fields are projected to have 193 million barrels of crude oil and 0.637 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves with production plateau of 50, 000 barrels of oil per day and 120 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.

The OMLs 83 and 85 are in shallow waters 40kms offshore in the Niger Delta.

NNPC holds 60 per cent interest in the licences while, FIRST E&P, the operator of the JV, holds the remaining 40 per cent interest.

Apart from providing funding for the development of the fields, Schlumberger would also provide other oilfield services to the JV on a limited exclusive basis.

A joint project team would drive technology transfer while leveraging on the global technical expertise of Schlumberger and the extensive local knowledge of the JV partners.

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Baru said in arriving at the innovative alternative funding package, the corporation was guided by the need to instil transparent and accountable processes.

“NNPC also followed strict compliance with all extant laws, regulations and established governance protocols and overriding national interest and drive to achieve competitive market pricing for such a greenfield project.“

He explained that NNPC, FIRST E&P Joint Venture (JV) project financing formula came as a creative approach to funding JV operations in response to the realities of the prevailing operating environment.

“Apart from aligning wholly with government’s aspiration of increased crude oil and gas production, reserves growth and monetisation of the nation’s enormous gas resources.

He said the model was in tandem with one of the corporation’s 12 Business Focus Areas (BUFAs).

Baru said the model also comprises ramping up crude oil, gas reserves and production which also supports government’s 7 Big Wins aspirations.

He said the Schlumberger financing package covers pre-Final Investment Decision (FID) funding, 100 per cent of capital expenditure for three years and pre-production operating expenses.