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Covid-19 Pandemic And The Future Of Nigeria’s Oil Industry

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<p><&excl;-- BEGIN THEIA POST SLIDER --><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&excl;-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v&period; 2&period;0&period;95 -->&NewLine;<div class&equals;"quads-location quads-ad4" id&equals;"quads-ad4" style&equals;"float&colon;none&semi;margin&colon;0px&semi;">&NewLine;&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p><div class&equals;"sg8ugVI9" style&equals;"clear&colon;both&semi;float&colon;left&semi;width&colon;100&percnt;&semi;margin&colon;0 0 20px 0&semi;"><script async src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;pagead2&period;googlesyndication&period;com&sol;pagead&sol;js&sol;adsbygoogle&period;js"><&sol;script> &NewLine;<&excl;-- TV --> &NewLine;<ins class&equals;"adsbygoogle" &NewLine; style&equals;"display&colon;block" &NewLine; data-ad-client&equals;"ca-pub-4403533287178375" &NewLine; data-ad-slot&equals;"4399361195" &NewLine; data-ad-format&equals;"auto" &NewLine; data-full-width-responsive&equals;"true"><&sol;ins> &NewLine;<script> &NewLine; &lpar;adsbygoogle &equals; window&period;adsbygoogle &vert;&vert; &lbrack;&rsqb;&rpar;&period;push&lpar;&lbrace;&rcub;&rpar;&semi; &NewLine;<&sol;script><&sol;div>&NewLine;<p>By Chukwunonso Nwobi<&sol;p><div class&equals;"XJviHtk5" style&equals;"clear&colon;both&semi;float&colon;left&semi;width&colon;100&percnt;&semi;margin&colon;0 0 20px 0&semi;"><script async src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;pagead2&period;googlesyndication&period;com&sol;pagead&sol;js&sol;adsbygoogle&period;js"><&sol;script> &NewLine;<&excl;-- TV --> &NewLine;<ins class&equals;"adsbygoogle" &NewLine; style&equals;"display&colon;block" &NewLine; data-ad-client&equals;"ca-pub-4403533287178375" &NewLine; data-ad-slot&equals;"4399361195" &NewLine; data-ad-format&equals;"auto" &NewLine; data-full-width-responsive&equals;"true"><&sol;ins> &NewLine;<script> &NewLine; &lpar;adsbygoogle &equals; window&period;adsbygoogle &vert;&vert; &lbrack;&rsqb;&rpar;&period;push&lpar;&lbrace;&rcub;&rpar;&semi; &NewLine;<&sol;script><&sol;div>&NewLine;<p>There are three issues to consider when looking at the situation of Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s oil and gas industry &semi;Production slumps&comma; COVID-19 pandemic and the non passage of PIB in 2021&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p><div class&equals;"HMSSrJWY" style&equals;"clear&colon;both&semi;float&colon;left&semi;width&colon;100&percnt;&semi;margin&colon;0 0 20px 0&semi;"><script async src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;pagead2&period;googlesyndication&period;com&sol;pagead&sol;js&sol;adsbygoogle&period;js"><&sol;script> &NewLine;<ins class&equals;"adsbygoogle" &NewLine; style&equals;"display&colon;block&semi; text-align&colon;center&semi;" &NewLine; data-ad-layout&equals;"in-article" &NewLine; data-ad-format&equals;"fluid" &NewLine; data-ad-client&equals;"ca-pub-4403533287178375" &NewLine; data-ad-slot&equals;"6550225277"><&sol;ins> &NewLine;<script> &NewLine; &lpar;adsbygoogle &equals; window&period;adsbygoogle &vert;&vert; &lbrack;&rsqb;&rpar;&period;push&lpar;&lbrace;&rcub;&rpar;&semi; &NewLine;<&sol;script><&sol;div>&NewLine;<p>Based on this&comma; it may be safe to conclude that&comma; Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s oil industry is facing difficult 2021 occasioned by the delay or otherwise failure to implement certain important reforms as well as the impact of the COVID-19 global crisis&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Based on recent forecast&comma; The Nigerian oil and gas market is expected to register a CAGR of more than 2&percnt; during the forecast period of 2021 – 2026&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>However&comma; the country-wide economic impact of COVID-19 global pandemic&comma; crude producers are faced with a decline in both price and demand for crude&comma;  resulting in an oil slump&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&excl;-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v&period; 2&period;0&period;95 -->&NewLine;<div class&equals;"quads-location quads-ad5" id&equals;"quads-ad5" style&equals;"float&colon;none&semi;margin&colon;0px&semi;">&NewLine;&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;nigeriantracker&period;com&sol;2021&sol;06&sol;08&sol;general-sani-abacha-the-only-nigerias-head-of-state-who-attained-the-rank-of-general-without-skipping-a-single-promotion&sol;">General Sani Abacha &colon; The Only Nigeria’s Head Of State Who Attained The Rank Of General Without Skipping A Single Promotion<&sol;a><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In its industry circular of 2020&comma; the Department of Petroleum Resources &lpar;DPR&rpar; considers the situation occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic a serious threat and further instructed all operators to limit the number of personnel at project sites&period; This has the potential of leading to a breach of specific contract terms&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>As we all know&comma; Nigeria is an important oil supplier to the United States who import at between 9-11 percent of its crude oil from Nigeria&period; According to the International Energy Agency&comma; in 2011&comma; approximately 33 percent of Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s crude exports were sent to the United States&comma; making Nigeria its fourth largest foreign oil supplier&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Today&comma; total crude imports into the United States are falling&comma; imports from Nigeria have declined at a steeper rate as the United States import data for the first half of 2012 show that Nigerian crude is down to a 5 percent share of total United States crude imports&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>I most appreciate the fact that Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s  cessation of the gasoline subsidy is likely to save the country a lot of money&comma; the deregulation of the country&&num;8217&semi;s downstream oil sector was a much-needed change for a country that depends almost entirely on imports for its gasoline&comma; increasing investments in the upstream sector and the development of large-scale and modular refineries in the country&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Meanwhile&comma; Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s offshore oil and gas industry continues to expand&comma; even though not very fast&comma; but opening more market opportunities&period; The growth of Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s offshore exploration and production activities may likely be attributed to the Government&&num;8217&semi;s efforts of improving the nation&&num;8217&semi;s hydrocarbon industry&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Unfortunately&comma; Oil and gas production in Nigeria had been hampered by the increasing attack on oil and gas facilities by militants&comma; oil theft has been one of the major issues and resulted in huge losses to operating companies in the country&comma; these and many other factors are likely have a negative impact on the market growth during the forecast period&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>I find it difficult to say this&comma;but it is the simple truth that the Lack of infrastructure&comma; uncertainties in regulations&comma; security concerns and more recently&comma; the COVID-19 have led Nigeria to underutilize its refining capacities&comma; thereby pushing the country to become a net importer of refined petroleum products&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Presently&comma; Dangote Refinery is in near completion which many expect to become the refining center in Africa &semi; but given Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s position of being among the world&&num;8217&semi;s largest oil producing state&comma; is one refinery going to serve the purpose&quest;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&excl;-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v&period; 2&period;0&period;95 -->&NewLine;<div class&equals;"quads-location quads-ad1" id&equals;"quads-ad1" style&equals;"float&colon;none&semi;margin&colon;0px&semi;">&NewLine;&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s crude and condensate production slumped to around 1&period;79 million b&sol;d last year from 2&period;04 million b&sol;d in 2019&comma; according to S&amp&semi;P Global Platts estimates&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>This was the lowest output since 2016 when Niger Delta militants repeatedly attacked key oil infrastructure pushing the country&&num;8217&semi;s production to as low as 1&period;4 million-1&period;5 million b&sol;d at points that year&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>President Muhammadu Buhari recently admitted that the country has been suffering heavily following a sharp drop in output and depressed global oil prices&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&&num;8220&semi;We are being squeezed to produce at 1&period;5 million b&sol;d against a capacity to produce 2&period;3 million b&sol;d… now the oil industry is in turmoil&comma;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In its industry circular of 2020&comma; the Department of Petroleum Resources &lpar;DPR&rpar; considers the situation occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic a serious threat and further instructed all operators to limit the number of personnel at project sites&period; This has the potential of leading to a breach of specific contract terms&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>As we all know&comma; Nigeria is an important oil supplier to the United States who import at between 9-11 percent of its crude oil from Nigeria&period; According to the International Energy Agency&comma; in 2011&comma; approximately 33 percent of Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s crude exports were sent to the United States&comma; making Nigeria its fourth largest foreign oil supplier&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Today&comma; total crude imports into the United States are falling&comma; imports from Nigeria have declined at a steeper rate as the United States import data for the first half of 2012 show that Nigerian crude is down to a 5 percent share of total United States crude imports&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>I most appreciate the fact that Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s  cessation of the gasoline subsidy is likely to save the country a lot of money&comma; the deregulation of the country&&num;8217&semi;s downstream oil sector was a much-needed change for a country that depends almost entirely on imports for its gasoline&comma; increasing investments in the upstream sector and the development of large-scale and modular refineries in the country&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Meanwhile&comma; Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s offshore oil and gas industry continues to expand&comma; even though not very fast&comma; but opening more market opportunities&period; The growth of Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s offshore exploration and production activities may likely be attributed to the Government&&num;8217&semi;s efforts at improving the nation&&num;8217&semi;s hydrocarbon industry&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Unfortunately&comma; Oil and gas production in Nigeria had been hampered by the increasing attack on oil and gas facilities by militants&comma; oil theft has been one of the major issues and resulted in huge losses to operating companies in the country&period; These and many other factors are likely have a negative impact on the market growth during the forecast period&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>I find it difficult to say this but it is the simple truth that the Lack of infrastructure&comma; uncertainties in regulations&comma; security concerns and more recently&comma; the COVID-19 have led Nigeria to underutilize its refining capacities&comma; thereby pushing the country to become a net importer of refined petroleum products&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Presently&comma; Dangote Refinery is in near completion which many expect to become the refining center in Africa &semi; but given Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s position of being among the world&&num;8217&semi;s largest oil producing state&comma; is one refinery going to serve the purpose&quest;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>It is in my opinion that&comma; Nigeria needs more than just one refinery&comma; and that we dont have to build new ones&period; We already have refineries&comma; let us revive them again so that together with privately owned like that of Dangote we can become the refining hub in Africa&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Despite the COVID-19 threats&comma; despite the militancy and oil theft&comma; as well as other challenges&comma; I can see both a bright and difficult future for the Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s oil and gas industry&comma; depending on how we handle the problems&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Meanwhile it is also a time for Nigeria to stop over reliance on oil because it&&num;8217&semi;s obvious that proceeds of oil will soon stop funding our numerous needs&period; For decades we have been living on billions of dollars without knowing&semi; Gold in almost all Northern states&comma; cocoa and timber in almost all southern states vis a vis agricultural opportunity in many parts of the country&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Alternatively&comma; we need to go back to where we were before the discovery of oil&period; We have abundant natural resources in various states of the Federation<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>However&comma; Nigeria is on the edge of altering refined products’ supply dynamics in the region with the help of the upcoming Dangote Refinery&comma; and it is expected to become the regional refining hub in the coming years&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Once completed&comma; the country is planning to become the refinery hub in Africa&period; This&comma; in turn&comma; is expected to attract foreign players to tap into the country&&num;8217&semi;s downstream market in the near future&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>CHUKWUNONSO NWOBI IS A NIGERIAN BUSINESS MAN BASED IN LAGOS&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><&excl;-- END THEIA POST SLIDER -->&NewLine;<&excl;-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v&period; 2&period;0&period;95 -->&NewLine;<div class&equals;"quads-location quads-ad3" id&equals;"quads-ad3" style&equals;"float&colon;none&semi;margin&colon;0px&semi;">&NewLine;&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<script async src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;pagead2&period;googlesyndication&period;com&sol;pagead&sol;js&sol;adsbygoogle&period;js"><&sol;script> &NewLine;<ins class&equals;"adsbygoogle" &NewLine; style&equals;"display&colon;block" &NewLine; data-ad-format&equals;"autorelaxed" &NewLine; data-ad-client&equals;"ca-pub-4403533287178375" &NewLine; data-ad-slot&equals;"1004305389"><&sol;ins> &NewLine;<script> &NewLine; &lpar;adsbygoogle &equals; window&period;adsbygoogle &vert;&vert; &lbrack;&rsqb;&rpar;&period;push&lpar;&lbrace;&rcub;&rpar;&semi; &NewLine;<&sol;script>&NewLine;<&excl;-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v&period; 2&period;0&period;95 -->&NewLine;<div class&equals;"quads-location quads-ad4" id&equals;"quads-ad4" style&equals;"float&colon;none&semi;margin&colon;0px&semi;">&NewLine;&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&NewLine;

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