The development of Ikike Oil Field in the oil mining lease (OML) 99 achieved a milestone on Thursday as Energy Works Technology (EWT) executed the first steel cut for the delivery of four major pressure vessels for the asset.
The first steel cut ceremony held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, marked the commencement of engineering, procurement and fabrication of an Open Drain Vessel, Closed Drain Vessel, Pig Launcher and a Pig Receiver.
The project was contracted to EWT by Total E&P Nigeria Limited, and it is a major feat in the execution of the OML 99 asset. The project is expected to add 32,000 barrels to Nigeria’s daily crude production. The Ikike sits on the northern part of OML 99, which is estimated to hold 70 million barrels of crude.
Speaking at the steel cutting ceremony, Group Managing Director, Nestoil, Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, said the first steel cut marked the beginning of a highly-technical process of procuring the pressure vessels that will service the project and demonstrate the mutually beneficial relationship between EWT and Total.
Dr. Azudialu-Obiejesi said Total’s decision to avail EWT another opportunity to demonstrate its sheer capacity as a leading industrial fabrication company is a vote of confidence on the local capacity of indigenous companies in the sector to deliver on complex projects at all times.
“This project will surely deepen Nigerian local content implementation by creating huge job opportunities for thousands of people”, said Dr Azudialu.
General Manager, Ikike Project, for Total E & P, Modestus Nwosu, appreciated the technical competence and safety standards of the Nestoil Group and its member companies. He noted that EWT won the contract strictly on its merit. According to him, “EWT shares the same values with Total. We are safety conscious and work with companies that have safety standards; we don’t do business with companies that have poor safety records.”
On his part, the Managing Director, EWT, Dr. Tunji Olanipekun, promised that EWT will live up to the high expectations of respective key stakeholders on this project.
EWT is a leading industrial Fabrication Company in Nigeria and is a member of the Nestoil Group.
