The Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation says it has started the process that will lead to the exploration of oil and gas in the Sokoto Inland Sedimentary Basin.
The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, stated this when he received the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, who paid a working visit to the NNPC Towers in Abuja.
Baru stated, “We have been on the issue of exploration in the frontier basins and so far, some measures of steps have been taken. We have already purchased aeromagnetic data and its being interpreted to determine the sedimentary thickness and the basin’s configuration.
“Secondly, we have awarded a contract for the geological mapping of the basin and I am happy to state here that samples have been collected, mapped, analysed and geological modelling executed so as to ensure data integration.”
He added that discussions were ongoing with Integrated Data Services Limited to award contract for surface geochemistry, ground gravity and magnetics.
This, according to him, is necessary to determine if hydrocarbon was generated in the basin and importantly, to integrate all data for understanding of the petroleum systems of the basin.
Baru said the NNPC would also carry out high resolution regional 2D seismic data acquisition to identify leads and prospects, after which a 3D seismic data acquisition would be carried out over leads and prospects.
“After all these are carried out, we will then begin to drill for oil and gas in the basin,” he added.
While commending Tambuwal for the visit, the NNPC GMD gave an assurance that the corporation was giving required attention to renewable energy and inland basins in order to create a prosperous future for the entity.
Earlier in his remarks, Tambuwal said various studies had been carried out by the government on the Sokoto Basin, the result of which would be made available to the NNPC to aid its efforts.
He said the state government, in collaboration with the Usman Danfodio University, would organise a national conference on the Sokoto Basin in October where international scholars would make presentations on the topic.
“We are inviting you and the NNPC to take part in this important conference, because we believe it will add value to our search for hydrocarbon in the Sokoto Basin,” the governor stated.
He said historical records indicated that the presence of hydrocarbon in the Sokoto Basin had been a subject of interest to geologists for long, a situation that made Italian oil giants, Elf, to consider preliminary exploration activities beginning from the 1950s.
He said the Sokoto State Government would welcome the start of activities and support any effort that would lead to positive results.