Belemaoil increases OML 55 oil production to 3,000bpd

By Onozure Dania

 PORT HARCOURT—BARELY a month after Chevron Nigeria Limited, successfully handed over OML 55 field to an indigenous firm, Belemaoil Producing Limited, the company has increased its oil production to 3000 barrel per day. Chairman of Belemaoil, Jack-Rich Tein Jr., who disclosed this while receiving President of River State Youth Organisation, Prince Sara-Igbe and other youth leaders, who paid him a courtesy visit, said the organisation has also gone further to fulfil some of its promises to host communities by employing a total of 350 youths across OML55 and Niger Delta communities as well as working with experts to provide portable drinking water in Kula. He said that Belemaoil was currently working with its overseas partners and the Nigeria’s Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, to launch 30,000 barrels floating refinery and LPG unit, scalable floating power generating barge of 135MW in phase-1 to 650mw in phase-2. The power project, he said will curb gas flaring and further harness the gas reserves in OML55, which is over 2tscf. These projects, Jack-Rich said, when fully develped will lead to huge technology transfer, employment for the unemployed youths thereby eradicating undue restiveness, agitations, economic sabotage and other unforeseen vices in our communities/cities. He stressed that Chevron with this feat, has uniquely achieved for itself, the first and only International Oil Company in Africa to have divested its participating interest in an oil mining lease, OML, to a local company from within its host community, which has trickled down to unemployed youths in their respective communities. In his remarks, President of River State Youth Organisation, Prince Sara-Igbe, thanked Chevron and Mr Tein Jr., for making history in Rivers State. The youth leader said Chevron has set an indelible landmark for other international and local oil companies to follow and if they build on Chevron’s landmark, unnecessary restiveness and agitation will fade away quickly.