By Tochukwu Bliss, Abuja
The Gas Supply and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) to support the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the Brass Methanol project is expected to be executed next month.
Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, announced this yesterday after a meeting with key stakeholders of the project in his NNPC Towers Abuja office, according to a statement by his Spokesperson, Louis Ibah.
Mr. Ekpo was quoted as saying that the meeting was to confirm adequate gas supply to the Brass Methanol project by the NNPC/Shell/TotalEnergies/NAOC Joint Venture (JV), as well as determine the next steps to conclude and execute the GSPA and mature the phase 2 of the gas supply.
Present at the meeting were the Head of Joint Venture (JV), Investment Management, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, Olanrewaju Igandan; Deputy Managing Director, Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Richard Orianzi; Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor; Managing Director of Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemical Ltd, Ben Okoye, among others.
The meeting was to confirm adequate gas supply to the Brass Methanol project by the NNPC/Shell/TotalEnergies/NAOC Joint Venture (JV), as well as determine the next steps to conclude and execute the GSPA and mature the phase 2 of the gas supply.
Mr. Ekpo informed the attendees of President Bola Tinubu’s strong interest in resolving issues relating to gas supply to the Brass Methanol project, and its speedy kick-off to bring in the much-needed FDI with attendant economic benefits to the country.
“Mr. President is very passionate about this project and wants something positive to happen in respect of the Brass Methanol project before the end of May this year,” Mr. Ekpo said.
The Brass Methanol project, located on Brass Island in Bayelsa State, is sponsored by Brass Fertilizer & Petrochemical Company Limited (BFPCL).
The $3.8billion project is made up of a gas processing plant, a methanol production and refining plant, product export facilities, among others.
At the end of the meeting, Ekpo announced he had successfully resolved the GSPA issue and that it would be executed by May this year.
“The NNPC/SPDC JV partners are now fully committed to uninterrupted gas supply for the development of the Brass Methanol project,” Mr. Ekpo added.