NAPENews Magazine August 2021 Edition

EDITOR’S NOTE
Our world is changed. Our career and industry are changing. There
is a need for your change.
It was in the heat of the pandemic that I vied for the position of Publicity
Secretary of our prestigious Association. I felt it was an auspicious time to
tell members' stories more, strengthen our internal communication while
pursuing strategic collaborations within the industry. I also felt there was a
need to mold our position in the Energy Transition conversation as we play
a critical role in where the world is headed. After submitting my forms to
contest for the position of Publicity Secretary, two events followed and
validated that I had made a good decision in volunteering for this role., Let
us not forget – your vote made all the difference. Thank you!
The first event was the NAPE 45th anniversary celebration. In a series of
interviews, our founding members and Past Presidents were asked to
evaluate how NAPE has fared since its founding. Dr. Akomeno Oteri
FNAPE, (NAPE 001) founding member and first President scored NAPE a
10/10 while other founding members interviewed, scored NAPE an
average of 7.5/10.
It occurred to me from the outcome of their evaluation that the visioner, Dr.
Akomeno Oteri FNAPE gave that higher score, ostensibly because he
planted a small seed, which had germinated and grown, and a win is a big
win. For the others, they had seen the potential and felt this association
could do more.
So, I ask you: how would you score NAPE on a score card today?
I don't want you to stop at that. NAPE has a vision and I recognize that we
all have great ideas on how to bring the elements of this vision to reality.
Here I would like to invite you again, to join the teeming pool of NAPE
volunteers who effortlessly give so much of their resources to ensure the
growth of our great Association. For me, I am simply contributing my quota
and stay happy to serve.
The second event was the 2020 NAPE Media Workshop for Media
Professionals organized by my predecessor (Lateef Amodu). The event is
designed to provide media personnel enhanced skills on reporting the oil
and gas industry. I listened as the media personnel and other participants
asked questions on the industry, and I realized that our industry's activities,
challenges, and position on various issues have opportunities to be better
reported. Beyond simply announcing our activities and wins on
communication platforms, we have a unique responsibility to further
educate our ever-growing number of stakeholders on the intricacies of the
Energy Industry, its capital investments, socio-economic impact, safety
procedures, member organization's contribution to GDP and much more.
As NAPE members, we are to collectively invest time and play this
strategic advocacy role for the energy industry.
This edition focusses on how our industry is “Embracing Energy
Transition”. Why do we need to embrace this Energy Transition, if the
concept of Energy Transition isn't exactly new?
Well, this is the first time that the world is asking for a net-zero emission
target. Fossil fuels, including coal, oil and natural gas, are currently the
world's primary energy source, and have fueled global economic
development over the past century.
This current ET is like a whirlwind, and has in its' course, climate change,
global warming, carbon index, alarming population growth, urbanization,
energy demand, industrialization, and astronomical technology
advancement.
As geoscientists, our career is at the center of these pivotal happenings
and regardless of the form of energy, so long it is derived from the earth, we
are the custodian, and therefore we should embrace this transition.
This edition features a report from our 2021 Fellows' Retreat. The report
highlights a collective fellow's position on the Energy Transition and ways
to position NAPE for a sustainable future. The report also states the need
to make the discourse of high risk and uncertainty as a non-constant
lexicon, but that efforts should be made to clearly communicate this
present imminent transition. In particular, what we may target to achieve is
growing public preparedness, increasing participation at governance,
community interactions, enabling eco-system, demonstrated and tested
user acceptance for the various output of energy. Prior to the enactment of
the Petroleum Industry Act, we had presented a communique from our
February 2021 webinar on The Nigeria Oil and Gas Regulations: X-raying
the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). This document is included in this edition.
There is a collective love affair with Energy transition and we are in the
middle of it. I welcome you to waltz to the beat and lead this energy
transition cause. Teach. Share. Educate and communicate real facts!
In this edition we offer you a 2 in 1 piece on the NAPE president, Mrs.
Patricia Ochogbu FNAPE, one where you get to know her more and
another where she talks about her half year achievements. We also
presented the executives' achievements in the past half year with
highlights on various activities. These were to support and equip members
in their career and build newer futuristic skillset across Artificial
Intelligence, data science and more. Our core professional expertise and
knowledge sharing events were offered at no cost to all members while
summer school courses were offered at a huge discount of 75%.
These are few of the various ways we aim to communicate the value of
your membership to NAPE and say thank you for your active participation.
This edition of NAPE news is my first and I confess it was a struggle to put
together. I was eager to share news of what we have done differently at our
workspaces, how different our careers have turned, what our
organizations are doing differently and more. It was a struggle because
everyone was busy. Organizations are going through Reshape,
Restructure, the Petroleum Industry Bill's passage more. These events
tend to leave us quite impersonable; whilst not forgetting the growing
fatigue of working from home for over a year. So here is my free pass, if you
have a great piece to share and would like to showcase your thought
leadership, subject matter expertise and knowledge to a wider audience. I
implore you to kindly find time to share your articles and contribute to the
next edition.
Finally, a quick reminder that while each locality is putting different
measures at combating and restoring life back to normal, we are now
having to deal with the delta-variant of the virus. This implies in simple
terms - we are not yet out of this curve, hence my gentle plea that you
kindly continue to stay safe.
Based on your response to our survey, this edition is available in e-format.
To your health
Tunbosun Afolayan