By Nse Anthony-Uko
(Sundiata Post) — In recognition of it’s contributions to the development of local content in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, members of the Petroleum Technologies Association of Nigeria (PETAN) has honoured Shell companies in Nigeria with the Aret Adams Award for Excellence.
PETAN, comprising 89 indigenous companies in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry,
A statement signed by Shell’s media relation manager, Bamidele Odugbesan said the award was announced at the PETAN 2017 award night in Lagos recently.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, PETAN President, Bank-Anthony Okoroafor acknowledged the leadership role of Shell Companies in Nigeria in local content development and said the award was well deserved. He added, “Indigenous companies look to leveraging growth opportunities in the industry.”
Responding the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and production Company Ltd (SNEPCo), Bayo Ojulari who represented Shell companies in Nigeria thanked PETAN for the recognition.
Commenting on the company’s commitment to local contact development, he said, “At Shell, we see local content as a critical business enabler, not just a regulatory requirement, and that is why we took cogent steps to encourage community and Nigerian contractors even before the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act was enacted in 2010. Today, these steps have matured as contracts and funding and other capacity building initiatives as well as highly rewarding collaborative engagements with Nigerian oil and gas professionals in Scotland and suppliers in China. We are pleased that the milestones have been recognised by PETAN and other organisations.”
According to the statement, Shell Companies in Nigeria awarded 94 per cent of their total number of contracts to Nigerian companies in 2016, with the total value amounting to $0.74 billion.
In a related development, 110 persons have completed the Shell/PETAN Internship Programme designed to support efforts towards tackling the shortage of competent manpower in some critical disciplines in the oil and gas industry, with emphasis on geology and engineering.
Speaking at the graduation of the third batch of the programme in Port Harcourt on Thursday, Managing Director of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor, said the collaboration with PETAN was targeted at fresh graduates on an annual basis. “This is achieved through exposure to rich technical on-the-job work experience, designed to equip the participants with practical industry experience and to position them more favourably for employment after the 12-month internship,” he said.
Represented by the General Manager External Relations, Igo Weli, the SPDC MD also announced the commencement of the fourth batch of the programme.
The Shell/PETAN Internship Programme commenced in 2014 and about 50 percent of the 110 beneficiaries from the first to third batches have been employed by some PETAN member companies.
