By Chima Okoroafor
Coming on the heels of the virtual commissioning of ANOH gas processing plant at Assa in Ohaji Egbema LGA Imo State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Honourable Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Gas Development, Imo State, Barr. Emeka Mgbudem on Friday 17th of May, 2024 was a guest of Waltersmith Oil and Gas Exploration and Refinery to see the progress of expansion works at the refinery, the oil and gas exploration platform and the new USD 200 millon projected exploration investment in the ASAA oil and gas field.
The Chairman of WalterSmith, Abdulrazak Isa, the technical director Alex Osho and other members of the management team received him upon arrival and went straight to the company’s oil and gas field. The chairman stated thay the company has been in the state for the past 10 years and most of the diesel (AGO) currently used in Imo, Abia and neighboring States comes from Waltersmith.
He said that the refinery with a current capacity of 5000 bpd is currently expanding to 25,000 barrels bpd and delivering 271 million liters of refined petroleum products a year, with a crude oil capacity of approximately 60,000 barrels.
According to Mr. Razak Isa, the next phase of 10,000 barrels, is projected to be completed by July 1, 2025.
The Waltersmith Chairman, in an answer to a probing question by Chief Jerry Chukwueke, the former technical adviser to the Governor of Imo state on the New Imo Project said that their biggest challenge is oil theft along the stretch of 50 km Shell pipeline to the loading bay but assured that it is being seriously addressed.
On the much anticipated biometric power supply from Waltersmith, Mr. Razak Isa said that the company is currently generating 3 mega watts of electricity with a target of 75 mega watts of embedded power to service their facilities, industrial parks, and other parts of Imo State.
He said further that his company is investing an additional 200 million dollars for the expansion of the ASAA gas field for crude oil and gas exploration.
Addressing the management team of Waltersmith consortium, the Honourable Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Gas Development said that his visit was at the instance of the company and in line with government’s resolve to utilize the abundant gas reserve in the state to energize the dormant industrial base in Imo State and to power our homes with cheap, clean and affordable electricity.
He praised the visionary leadership of Governor Hope Uzodinma and the beauty of public, private sector partnership (PPP) which led to the delivery of the Waltersmith facilities.
He assured that his ministry will do everything within its powers to ensure that the vision of the Governor in leveraging the gas to prosperity agenda of the federal government and the aspiration of the government of Imo State to use its abundant natural resources to drive massive industrial growth and economic prosperity for all are actualized.
The Commissioner also pledged the state government’s commitment to continue its interface with the host communities to protect all oil and gas assets in the state as more production would mean more revenue to the state and more development to the host communities. He urged all oil and gas companies operating in the state to quickly fulfil their obligations under the Petroleum Industry Act to the host communities.
It was clearly noted during the interaction that the immediate and future potentials of the oil and gas projects for the development of Imo State cannot be quantified or overemphasized. For a state with the largest gas deposit in Nigeria, focus and commitment to the development of the sector can be its springboard to sustainable development. The management team praised Governor Hope Uzodinma for his visionary leadership and support in the realisation of this laudable venture.
The Chairman of WalterSmith requested the Imo State government to help them with interventions that will help reduce the recurrent incidences of theft and vandalism.
Also in the WalterSmith team was the Vice Chairman Danjuma, the former technical adviser to the Governor on the New Imo Project and an oil and gas player Chief Jerry Chukwueke and former Deputy Governor of Kogi state, Chief. Awoniyi.
