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Boost for Nigeria’s Oil Production, As NNPC’s Utapate Crude Grade Hits Global Oil Market

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Managing Director, NNPC E & P Limited (NEPL), Mr. Nicholas Foucart speaks at the official unveiling of the Utapate crude oil blend during the Utapate Crude Roadshow held on the sidelines of the 2024 Argus European Crude Conference in London, United Kingdom, on Wednesday.

 

 

In a major boost for Nigeria’s crude oil production, revenue generation and
economic growth efforts, the NNPC Ltd has officially unveiled its latest crude oil
grade, the Utapate crude oil blend, before the international crude oil market.

It would be recalled that in July, 2024, NNPC Ltd and its partner, the Sterling Oil
Exploration & Energy Production Company (SEEPCO) Ltd introduced the Utapate
crude oil blend, following the lifting of first cargo of 950,000 barrels which headed
for Spain.

During a ceremony held at the Argus European Crude Conference taking place in
London, United Kingdom, on Wednesday, the Managing Director, NNPC E & P
Limited (NEPL), Mr. Nicholas Foucart described the introduction of the Utapate
crude oil blend into the market as a significant milestone for Nigeria’s crude oil
export to the global energy market.

“Since we started producing the Utapate Field in May 2024, we have rapidly
ramped up production to 40,000 barrels per day (bpd) with minimum downtime.
So far, we have exported five cargoes, largely to Spain and the East Coast of the
United States; while two more additional cargoes have been secured for November
and December 2024, representing a significant boost to Nigeria’s crude oil export
to the global market,” Foucart told a packed audience of European crude oil
marketers.
He added that since its introduction into the global market, the Utapate crude oil
blend has enjoyed a positive response from the international crude oil market, due
to its highly attractive qualities.
Foucart said the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 13, fully operated by NEPL and Natural
Oilfield Services Ltd (NOSL), a subsidiary of SEEPCO Ltd, boasts a huge reserves of
330million barrels of crude oil reserves, 45 million barrels of condensate and 3.5 tcf
of gas.
“We have a number of ongoing projects to increase our production from the
current 40,000bopd to 50,000bopd by January 2025 and 60,000bopd to
65,000bopd by June 2025. Essentially, we are targeting opportunities to increase
production to 80,000bopd by the end of 2025,” Foucart added.He said the Utapate crude oil terminal is sustainable, affordable and fully compliant
with the rigorous environmental regulations and sustainability principles especially
those aimed at reducing carbon emissions and other ecological effects.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of NNPC Trading Ltd (NTL), Mr. Lawal Sade
said the pricing structure of the Utapate crude oil blend is similar to that of
Amenam crude as it is a light sweet crude which is highly sought after by refiners
across the world due to its low sulphur content, efficient yield of high-value
products, API gravity and other similarities.
He said in bringing the new crude oil blend to the global market, NNPC Ltd wanted
to optimise value for both its producers and counterparties across the globe.
He added to ensure predictability and sustainability of supply, the NNPC Trading
intends to run a term contract on the Utapate crude oil blend cargoes, principally
targeting off-takers from the European and the US East Coast refineries.
Produced from the Utapate field in OML 13 in Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria, the
Utapate crude oil blend is similar to the Nembe crude oil grade. It has a low sulphur
content of 0.0655% and low carbon footprint due to flare gas elimination, fitting
perfectly into the required specification of major buyers in Europe.
The NNPC E&P Ltd and NOSL partnership is also committed to operating in a
manner that is safe, environmentally responsible, and beneficial to the local
communities.
The Utapate field development plan, executed between 2013-2019 and approved in
October, included converting wells and facilities from swamp/marine to land-
based operations.
The plan involved a multi-rig drilling campaign for 40 wells and the development
of significant infrastructure such as production facilities, storage tank, a subsea
pipeline and an offshore loading platform to facilitate crude oil evacuation and
loading.

The entry of the Utapate crude oil blend into the market is coming barely a year
after the NNPC Ltd announced the launch of Nembe crude oil, produced by the
NNPC/Aiteo operated Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29 Joint Venture (JV).

In a statement by Olufemi O Soneye Chief corporate communications officer NNPCL said the remarkable achievement signals the commitment of the NNPC Ltd to
increasing Nigeria’s crude oil production and growing its reserves through the
development of new assets.

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Hon. Nasir Aminu Bala Ja’oji Awards Foreign Scholarships to 20 Tarauni Indigenes

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In a major effort to promote education and global exposure, Honorable Nasir Aminu Bala Ja’oji has awarded foreign scholarships to 20 deserving indigenes of Tarauni Local Government in Kano State.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Ja’oji Organization, will enable the beneficiaries to pursue their Master’s degrees abroad, equipping them with advanced knowledge, skills, and international experience. Hon. Ja’oji, who serves as a Council Member of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Potiskum, has consistently championed educational empowerment as a means to uplift young Nigerians.

Speaking on the initiative, Hon. Ja’oji emphasized the importance of education in national development, stating that investing in young minds will help build a skilled and competitive workforce for Nigeria.

This scholarship program reflects his unwavering commitment to providing opportunities for Nigerian youths to excel on the global stage, fostering academic excellence and professional growth.

 

This latest gesture by Hon. Ja’oji reinforces his dedication to youth empowerment and educational advancement in Nigeria.

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Northern Online Media Group Elects National Exco, Nigerian Tracker Publisher Emerges National Treasurer

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Abbas Yushau Yusuf ,New National Treasurer Northern online media reporters and publishers

Northern Online Media Group Elects National Exco, Nigerian Tracker Publisher Emerges National Treasurer

The Northern-based media group under the aegis of Northern Online Media Reporters and Publishers (NORP) on Saturday elected its National executive members.

The election, held in Kaduna at Arewa House, Kaduna, was supervised by the Electoral Committee of the Union.

Comrade Musa Mohammed from Kaduna State emerged as the new Executive National President in a keenly contested election. He polled 287 votes to defeat his rival, Comrade Lynn Adda, the former NUJ chairman, Taraba State, who got 138 votes.

Comrade Femi Adi from Kogi State emerged as the Executive National Secretary with 210 votes. He defeated Comrade Rayyan Al-Hassan, who polled 207 votes.

By the constitution of the Union, the Deputy National Secretary and National Assistant Secretary positions are reserved for persons who come second in both. Therefore, Comrade Lynn Adda and Comrade Rayyan Al-Hassan emerged as Deputy National President and National Assistant Secretary accordingly.

Others who emerged unopposed are Comrade Zaharaddeen Ishaq Zailani – National Financial Secretary; Comrade Abraham Suleman – Asst. National Financial Secretary, and Comrade Abbas Yusha’u Yusuf – National Treasurer.

In his acceptance speech, Comrade Musa Mohammed urged members of the group across the 19 northern states to take advantage of social media platforms to fight fake news and promote good governance.

According to him, social media platforms can only be reliable for information dissemination when professional journalists take over and use them professionally.

“Our greatest headache is the citizen journalist problem, where anyone can post anything online without verifying the source or authenticating such stories. But the good thing is that professional journalists are taking over now,” he said.

While urging members to work within the ethics of the profession, he expressed commitment to ensuring unity and progress of the Union within the three-year term of office.

He, however, thanked the members who turned out for the election and prayed for their safe return to their destinations.

 

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Kano Governor Honors 34 Indigenes, But Rano Sons Left Out—Why?

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Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State recently hosted a ceremony at the Government House on Saturday, February 1, 2025, to recognize 34 Kano indigenes who have advanced in their careers across various sectors. The event honored newly promoted generals in the military, senior police and paramilitary officers, and recently appointed federal permanent secretaries of Kano origin. Attendees included elder statesmen, business leaders, and traditional and religious figures.

However, the absence of two high-ranking officers from Rano Local Government—Ado Sabo Rano and Shehu Nadada Umar—did not go unnoticed. Both men recently attained top positions in their respective fields but were left out of the governor’s list of honorees.

Ado Sabo Rano’s promotion to Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration (ACGI) reflects years of service in the Nigeria Immigration Service. His rise is significant not only for him but also for Kano State, particularly Rano, which has produced many accomplished professionals. Similarly, Shehu Nadada Umar was recently elevated to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), making him the most senior police officer from Kano in the Nigerian Police Force. His omission from the recognition list raises questions about the criteria used for selection.

The event was described as non-political, intended to celebrate professional achievements. If that was truly the purpose, excluding these two officers contradicts the message of fairness and merit-based recognition. Their contributions to national security and law enforcement are clear, and there is no apparent justification for their exclusion.

Kano State is home to many local governments, each contributing to its development. No part of the state should be disregarded in matters of recognition, especially when its indigenes reach the highest ranks in national service. The people of Rano, like others in Kano, take pride in those who represent them at the top levels of government and security. Their exclusion sends an unintended message that their contributions are not valued as highly as others.

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Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has emphasized unity and fairness in governance. If this was an oversight, it should be corrected to ensure that all Kano indigenes who have excelled in their fields receive the recognition they deserve.

The people of Rano expect their sons to be acknowledged, not as a favor, but as a rightful recognition of their professional achievements. True leadership requires fairness in honoring those who serve.

Buhari Abba wrote this piece from Kano – Nigeria

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