Shell Begins One-Year Training for 40 Imo Youths for Gas Project

Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) says it has started a one-year training for 40 youths from its host communities of the Assa North and Ohaji South in Imo.

The local government areas play host to the company’s gas project.

Mr Bamidele Odugbesan, SPDC’s Media Relations Manager announced the development in a statement issued in Yenagoa, on Monday.

“The aim is to make ready these youths for opportunities in the operations of the gas project and for the entire Nigerian gas development value chain,’’ Odugbesan stated.

He was quoting SPDC’s Country Head of Corporate Relations, Igo Weli.

According to the statement, the training, taking place at the Mudiame University, Irrua, Edo, is supervised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

“The training is part of SPDC Joint Venture contributions to build the capacity of people in our host communities and is the outcome of recommendations by the NCDMB,’’ Weli was also quoted to have said.’

The trainees were selected from the host communities cluster development boards.

They include Assa, Ochia, Awarra and Obile in Assa North local government area and Avu, Obosima, Obuomadike, Umunwaku, Ohoba, Obitti and Umuapu in Ohaji/Egbema local government area.

They would be trained in project management, welding, fitting, scaffolding, rigging and lifting, electrical installations, electrical engineering, carpentry, building technology, drafting, and ICT, surveys, quality and safety procedure.

Sixty per cent of skilled and semi-skilled workers for the gas project would be from the host communities from where 10 per cent of equipment operators would also be drawn.

The project site is located approximately 25 kilometres outside of Owerri.

The Assah North-Ohaji South Gas project would deliver 300 standard cubic feet of gas per day to the domestic gas market.

It would also sell 20,000 barrels per day of condensate to a nearby Walter Smith Modular refinery.

Shell stated that the project’s scope included drilling of six oil wells, construction of a primary treatment facility and gas evacuation pipeline in a unitised field between SPDC’s Oil Mining Lease (OML) 21 and SEPLAT’s OML 53.