Inside Papua New Guinea - ExxonMobil

When offshore pipelines needed to be replaced,
Mobil Producing Nigeria used a local manufacturer –
an industry first for a Nigerian oil and gas facility.
“It holds huge economic significance
for Nigeria,” says Ernest
Nwapa, executive secretary of the
Nigerian Content Development
and Monitoring Board. “We
expect it will attract companies
and individuals to invest in pipe
mills and threading plants, or
upgrade fabrication yards and
machine shops, and other critical
facilities to build Nigerian capacity
and limit the importing of pipes
and other products.”
Strict standards upheld
Nwapa says that companies
doing business in Nigeria could
not purchase locally made products
because they did not meet
the necessary strict international
certification standards. But that
has now changed. He says that
extensive tests on the pipes
both locally and overseas confirmed
that they meet or exceed
required technical specifications.
“Not only do we have pending
orders for more than 60 miles of
specialized pipelines that will be
made here,” Nwapa says, “but
we are using the model created
by MPN to ensure that industry
quality and safety standards are
met, and to help other local firms
in developing their pipe mills.
“MPN initiated this effort even
when there was no expectation
to do so,” Nwapa notes. “This
demonstrated a commitment to
pursue a national aspiration, and
MPN should be proud for pioneering
this courageous move.
“This will surely boost Nigerian
content development, create
more opportunities for training,
and sustain the employment
of Nigerians in the oil and gas
industry,” he says. the Lamp
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