PIA: NEPL trains board of trustees for OMLS, others in Edo

The NEPL, a subsidiary of NNPC Limited, on Monday trained the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) Board of Trustees for Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) on basic oil and gas exploration for non-professionals in Benin, Edo State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was carried out ahead of the inauguration of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) Board of Trustees for Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 11, 20, 26 and 28/30 units on Tuesday.

The Board of Trustee members were drawn from four OMLs 11, 20, 26 and 28/30 units in some communities in Delta, Abia and Rivers states.

Participants were taken through Basic Oil and Gas and Business Planning for non-professionals, Project Management Fundamentals and Corporate Governance for non-profit entities.

Speaking to newsmen during the training, Managing Partner, DAP Energy Consult, Mr Victor Briggs, said the training being organised by NEPL was a precursor to inaugurating the board of trustees for the OMLs

Briggs noted that the training was to give the board members basic understanding of how the technical part of the oil industry works.

“The training is to put them through how the Trust will impact them and what the law expects of them in managing the Trust in such a way that they will be able to attract not just the three percent but how to access additional funding from potential donor agencies.

According to Briggs, the training is just to prepare the board of trustees for OMLs 11 20 26 and 28/30 units for the task ahead.

Briggs, who took the participants through Basic Oil and Gas and Business Planning for non-Professionals, noted that the entire country had been surveyed and mapped.

He added that the mapping has helped experts in the oil industry to know where certain natural minerals for exploration are located in the country.

While speaking on the oil and gas profitability drivers, he stresssed the need for a more cordial and peaceful relationship between the operating companies and the host communities for higher and maximum productivity.

A board member from OML 11, Afam field, Rivers State, Dr Jackson Nwaeke commended NNPC Ltd/NEPL for the training, adding that it will guide the board of trustees on what is expected of them.

“We have learnt a lot from the lectures, we have been able to understand the PIA and its provisions.

“This training will guide and teach us how to participate in the Trust,” Nwaeke said.

He advised NEPL to, immediately after inauguration, commence implementation of every activity as provided for in the PIA concerning the host communities.

He added that implementation of the PIA provisions will arrest youth restiveness in the Niger Delta region.

Earlier, Mr Obaro Osauzo from OML 26, Delta State, also commended NNPC Limited and NEPL.

Osauzo said that with the inauguration of the board, host communities will begin to protect oil pipeline networks within their domains against vandals.