Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has been directed to extend oil and gas exploration to all the six basins in the country considering the fact that the energy sector is now the main economic driver of the country.
The directive was given by President Muhammadu Buhari during the presidential flag-off of the Spud-in of Kolmani River -II Well, Gongola Basin Upper Benue Trough held on Saturday at the exploration site in Alkaleri local government area of Bauchi state.
The President who stressed that the oil and gas exploration remains a critical part of the development of the country said that the more oil and gas was discovered in the country the better for its economy and growth.
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While narrating his association with hydrocarbon research since he was the Federal Commissioner of Petroleum Muhammadu Buhari declared that its importance cannot be overemphasized the more reason exploration must be extended to other basins in the country.
The President then commended the NNPC and other stakeholders in the exploration sector for the actualization of the Kolmani River II Well prospects expressing hope that oil and gas will be discovered in commercial quantity in the area.
In his address, the GMD of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru disclosed that apart from the Kolmani II there are six other wells in the Gongola basin of the Benue Trough in which prospecting will be carried out by the Corporation.
He added that the NNPC will soon extend prospecting for oil and gas to Plateau, Nassarawa, Adamawa, Taraba and Benue State while waiting for security clearance from the Military in order to resume exploration of oil and gas in the Lake Chad basin suspended over the years due to insecurity in the area.
It will be recalled that prospecting for oil and gas started in the Gongola Basin of the Upper Benue Trough about 20 years ago when research revealed that there is a deposit of oil and gas in the area.
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