The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) signed an agreement yesterday to begin construction of the world’s longest offshore gas pipeline.
The contract, which also included the commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Tanzania’s SMH, and Senegal’s Petrosen, was expected to drive the execution of the 7,000-kilometer Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project to increase supply to Europe.
Mallam Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, stated on the occasion in Morocco that the pipeline project would create wealth and raise the standard of living in African countries.
Kyari stated that the gas pipeline project would also aid in desertification mitigation, describing the event as a critical milestone in the project because it reaffirms stakeholders’ commitment to deliver.
The CEO of NNPCL explained that the company was well positioned to move forward with the project because of its experience and technical capabilities in gas production, processing, transmission, and marketing, as well as in executing major gas infrastructure projects in Nigeria.
Kyari stated that from the project’s inception to the current stage, the government of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Morocco worked together to achieve the results. He thanked King Mohammed VI of Morocco and President Muhammadu Buhari for entrusting NNPCL with what he called the strategic project.
“As you are aware, our countries stand to benefit immeasurably from the project’s execution, which extends beyond the supply of gas to energise the countries along the route,” Kyari said.
“Some of the benefits include increased wealth and living standards, regional economic integration, desertification mitigation, and other benefits that will accrue as a result of reduced carbon emissions.”
“I am pleased to report that NNPC is well positioned to move the project forward by leveraging our experience and technical capabilities in gas production, processing, transmission, and marketing, as well as our extensive experience in executing major gas infrastructure projects in Nigeria.”
“NNPC Limited, for our part, will facilitate continuous gas supply and provide other enablers, such as the required land for the first compressor station for the pipeline to be deployed in Nigeria, which is one of the 13 stations earmarked along the pipeline route.”
“I would like to thank you all on behalf of the federal government as we continue to strengthen our partnership for the benefit of our countries.”
The project was conceived during King Mohammed VI of Morocco’s December 2016 visit to Nigeria.
The NMGP aims to monetise Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources in order to generate additional revenue for the country, diversify Nigeria’s gas export routes, and eliminate gas flaring.
It will also aid in the supply of gas to Morocco, 13 ECOWAS countries, and Europe, as well as the integration of the sub-economies region’s and the improvement of people’s living standards.
It is also expected to provide a reliable gas supply and an avenue for other countries along the pipeline route to develop and export their gas.
The pipeline is 48-inch X 5,300 km (offshore from Brass Island, Nigeria, to Dakhla, Morocco) and 56-inch X 1,700 km (onshore from Dakhla, Morocco, to Maghreb European (MEP), with a total length of over 7,000 km and approximately 13 compressor stations.
The pipeline will run from Brass Island (Nigeria) to the north of Morocco, where it will connect to the existing MEP, which runs from Algeria to Spain via Morocco.
