Financial Energy Review
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board
(NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, in company with senior officials of Shell
Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) on Tuesday undertook a tour of facilities at
Brightwaters Energy Limited, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The tour to the company’s facilities at Choba, Port Harcourt, and Emohua in Emohua
Local Government Area of Rivers State was a follow up to the NCDMB’s boss earlier
visit to the company and some pipe coating facilities in May 2024. At that visit he
pledged the Board’s support for local service companies, giving them opportunities in
the oil and gas industry and creating jobs in the economy.
The latest visit was to assess Brightwaters Energy’s upgrade of its technical capabilities,
which would position them for upcoming industry projects.
Speaking ahead at the visit, Engr. Ogbe conveyed the Board’s determination to ensure
that capabilities of local oil and gas service companies are known and adequately
utilised by operating companies in the industry to boost local content and provide
employment, in line with the economic aspirations of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s
administration.
He recalled that Brightwaters had performed well in the execution of projects in the
exploration and production segment of the industry over the years with a clientele that
included SPDC and Chevron Nigeria Limited, among other major oil and gas operators.
He was convinced that the company has the capacity required for key scopes in
upcoming industry projects.
He charged operating oil and gas companies to always support qualified service
companies, while ensuring that the best quality service is delivered at all times and on
schedule.
In opening remarks at the event, the Community and Corporate Affairs Manager of
Brightwaters, Mr. Solomon Aluge, confirmed that the firm had been engaging the team
from SPDC and was equipped to carry out heavy or light fabrication works. He indicated
that Brightwaters has carried out many onshore and offshore pipeline engineering and
installation works for various clients.
Elaborating on the scope of operations of his company in the oil and gas sector, he
pointed out that Brightwaters is “mobilizing for Chevron and Tulcan pipeline works” at
the moment.
Earlier in welcome remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Brightwaters, Mr. Scott
Gregory, expressed happiness at the presence of the Executive Secretary, Engr. Ogbe,
and the representatives of SPDC at the meeting, assuring all that the company has
enormous capabilities for services in the oil and gas industry.
He provided technical details of a number of projects executed by the company offshore
and onshore in its many years of operation in Nigeria, noting that some of the upcoming
field projects were well within the company’s competencies.
Among key facilities visited in the tour were a blast furnace, where the process of
smelting was demonstrated with hot compressed air being blasted into a furnace from
below, and a multipurpose offshore construction vessel known as Sea Horizon Derrick
Lay Barge, with a heavy-lift capacity of 1,320 tons.
Marine construction activities performed by the vessel, according to the company,
include “installation of rigid and flexible pipelines, risers and umbilicals [flexible hoses
that connect surface equipment to subsea equipment].”
In his comments after the facility tour, the General Manager Local Content Shell, Mr.
Lanre Olawuyi conveyed the company’s good impressions with the facilities and
capabilities of Brightwaters Energy. He affirmed that the technical teams would review
their reports and take decisions how to engage the company in some of their upcoming
projects. He expressed delight that the company had upgraded its facilities since the
last visit in May 2024, and expressed hope that facility would attract more patronage
from the oil industry so it would bounce back to its former glory.
On the entourage of the Executive Secretary were the Director, Project Certification and
Authorisation Division (PCAD), Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, Deputy Manager, Corporate
Communications and Zonal Coordination, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, a technical staff in the
Executive Secretary’s office, Mr. Ilu Ozekhome.
