NNPC  begins search for crude oil in Sokoto basin

At a time when oil is becoming less attractive in the global economy, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC said it has extended the search for crude oil to the Sokoto Inland Sedimentary Basin. Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Maikanti Baru, stated this when he received a delegation from Sokoto State, led by the Governor, Aminu Tambuwal in Abuja.

Baru was responding to an appeal by the governor, calling on the NNPC to activate oil and gas exploration campaign in the Sokoto Basin with a view to establishing the volume and value of hydrocarbon deposits there. He stated that the NNPC, without any prompting, has since embarked on properly and professional exploration of all inland basins in the country including the Sokoto basin.

Baru said that that the NNPC had already procured aeromagnetic data on the Sokoto basin from the Nigerian Geophysical Survey as well as awarded contract for the mapping and procurement of apt samples to further the understanding of the area. He said that the NNPC had contracted its subsidiary, Integrated Data Services Limited, IDSL to carry out various geochemistry investigation to boost the gathering and integration of all relevant data ahead of the planned procurement of seismic 2D data position which would in turn determine various prospects.

Baru promised to attend the forthcoming seminar on the Sokoto basin, noting that the NNPC would use the platform to update and also share its knowledge of the basin with relevant stakeholders.  On the noticeable limited disruptions in supply of petroleum products due to the recently aborted labour strike, the NNPC boss disclosed that the issues raised by labor have since been settled, adding that normal loading activities had resumed in areas affected by the industrial action.

In his own remarks, Tambuwal, said that based on existing exploration records, it is likely that renewed search for oil in the basin would yield some positive results in the nearest future. He commended the current administration for re-invigorating the quest for oil in the new frontiers, adding that the successful search for hydrocarbon deposit in the basin would go a long way in increasing the nation’s oil reserve with the attendant value addition. He said, “We are here more on an advocacy visit to your office, Mr. GMD, to kindly request for your intervention and attention for the office in charge of frontier exploration to pay attention to Sokoto basin just the way attention is being paid to other basins in the country.”

Tambuwal commended Baru for recent successes in the Corporation especially the stability in the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.
Tambuwal also invited the NNPC to a conference in Sokoto sometimes in October 2017, which is being facilitated by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF in collaboration with the Usman Dan Fodio University. He said the conference would thoroughly x-ray the search for oil in the Sokoto basin.