Shell Nigeria boosts domestic gas distribution capacity by 150%

Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG) Limited on Wednesday said the company had increased its domestic gas distribution capacity by 150 per cent over the last six months.

SNG spokesman, Bamidele Odugbesan, said in a statement that the increase in capacity would enable the company to distribute more than 100 million standard cubic feet of gas to businesses in its western operations daily.

According to him, the new capacity is equivalent to some 400 megawatts (MW) of gas to power.

He said that the new capacity was enabled by the construction of a second train at the Agbara/Ota Pressure Reduction and Metering Station (PRMS) in Ogun State, from where SNG supplied its first customers with gas.

“The expansion project shows the commitment of Shell to Nigeria’s industrialisation through the monetisation of Nigeria’s abundant gas resources.

“The modules for the second train were fabricated by a Nigerian company which collaborated with its foreign partners to safely execute the project without any Lost Time injuries (LTI’s).

“We are continuing the campaign for gas by discussing with various stakeholders to deepen and expand domestic gas supply to existing industrial and new manufacturing clusters in various locations in Nigeria,’’ the company’s managing director, Ed Ubong was quoted as saying in the statement.

It said that SNG’s existing gas distribution system in the three states it operates – Ogun, Abia and Rivers – had boosted manufacturing output and helped these states to grow their internally generated revenues and provided local employment opportunities.

According to the statement, in 2017, SNG executed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Rivers State Government for the distribution of gas to industries in the greater Port Harcourt area and its environs.

It said that the agreement provided further opportunities for SNG to promote gas as a more reliable, cleaner and cost-effective alternative to liquid fuels in Nigeria.

“SNG has built a reputation for safety and credibility and is the only gas distribution company in Nigeria whose facility is ISO 14001 certified.

“In the course of its business, the company has implemented various development projects in the areas of its operations.

“The company has also donated or renovated schools, provided information communications technology (ICT) centre, equipped science laboratories and launched numerous Road Safety Education and Awareness campaigns in 2016 and 2017,’’ the statement added.

SNG was established in 1998 and marked its 20th anniversary in 2018.