THERE are strong indications that Nigeria’s 38billion barrels of crude oil reserve may dry up in 55 years, according to data obtained from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
The data, which was submitted to financial and geological institutions, was processed and reeled out by Pan-Africa Bank, Ecobank Group. It revealed that the country has been suffering stagnant output reserves since 1980.
The Head, Energy Research, Ecobank Group, Dolapo Oni, who revealed this in a presentation at a retreat in Lagos recently, claimed the country was left with 55 years of production while Libya still has 189 years to produce what it has in its reserves.
Oni, who heads the Ecobank’s Energy Unit for the entire operation in Africa, said that the document he presented was based on the latest DPR data.
“For the size of our country, our oil production is too small. A country of about 170 million people that produces 2.2 million barrels daily is doing a little. 55 years of production compared to Libya, which has 189 years.
“Oil reserves data of petroleum industry’s regulatory agencies collated by the bank from other countries also showed that Kazakstan has 48 years oil production lifespan; Angola has 27 years, Brazil is left with 13 years and Algeria has 28 years of crude oil production,” he said.
Stating that Nigeria has 38 billion barrels in its reserves, Oni declared that the daily production of about 1.4 million barrels means that the country would finish up the reserves in about 55 years and in less than 55 years if it jerks up production above 1.4 million barrels.
“With the aid of technology and huge investments, Nigeria has, at least, 600 trillion cubic feet of gas, as well as 22 billion barrels of oil undiscovered in its offshore acreages, whereas Nigerian banks, expected to participate actively in the investments, are stressed.
“Banks are stressed as we speak. I said this with a caveat and the reason for this is that our (Nigeria banks’) books are too exposed to oil and gas,” he said, adding that no bank in Nigeria will plunge investment in the oil and gas this year.
“If you sit with banks these days, what they tell you is that they don’t have money to invest in oil and gas. I don’t see any of the banks investing in oil and gas this year. Tier-2 banks have gone to the market to raise funds, and as it stands, they may look towards oil and gas next year because oil and gas remains one of the very few sectors where you can invest and get high returns,” he added.
and then