Exploration Resumes As NNPC, SPDC, Belema Settle Oil Mining Lease 25 Dispute
ENERGYBy Business Hilights On Sep 19, 2019 Share
Finally, peace has returned between the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC), joint venture partners, Shell Production
Development Company (SPDC), and Belema Oil following the resolution of
the dispute on the operation of Oil Mining Lease 25.
Signing the dispute closure agreement in Abuja parties agreed that
operations at the oil well would take off from Tuesday next week.
The peace deal, brokered by the Minister of State for Petroleum
Resources, Chief Timipre Silva, wills among other things; raise the
daily cumulative output of Nigeria’s crude oil and gas.
The minister, who appreciated roles played by parties during the
reconciliation, said the key aim of the ministry was to ensure an oil
industry that worked and operated in harmony and unity.
According to him, “When I came into the office, the issue was one of
the problems that came on the table; there were so many letters from
communities complaining about the problem.
“I just decided to invite Shell to hear its own part of the story but
fortunately, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari, had
intervened in the matter.
“So, I have the honour now to thank him for this great intervention.
“I also thank Shell and Belema for cooperating to ensure that there is
closure on this matter that had bedevilled the industry for so long.”
Sylva averred that amongst the aims of the petroleum industry was to
ensure zero loss in the industry and that production got to its
destination.
Analysts who had been following the crisis argued however that the
biggest beneficiaries of the agreement were not the companies but the
communities, especially those in Belema, whose host community largesse
had been off the radar beginning from the onset of the dispute.
Some community officials of Belema who are in the know of the crisis
and its final resolution thanked the minister and assured good
community-firms relations going forward.
Business Hilights recalls that Belema Oil, an indigenous group owned
by son of the soil had over the years been delivery several community
development projects including building of infrastructure and award of
scholarships to host communities and serial empowerment by way of
sub-contracting and general employments.
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