Shell is aiming to boost its Nigerian gas production capacity, committing to three of the Seven Critical Gas Development Projects (7CGDP) prioritised by the government, according to the Anglo-Dutch supermajor's country chair, Osagie Okunbor.

Addressing investors, Okunbor said the Assa North & Ohaji South field in Imo State, operated by Shell alongside Total, Agip and Seplat Petroleum, will supply 600 million cubic feet per day of gas via two new processing plants, one proposed by major partners, the other by Seplat.

The first of these will absorb 300 MMcfd for power generation. A parallel gas supply initiative will see gas fed from the Okpokunuo & Tuomo West development in OML-33 to Agip’s Brass fertiliser plant, along with production from a unitised development of the Tuomo-West structures, all in Bayelsa State.

All three projects will deliver 1.47 billion cubic feet per day of gas.

Shell is also targeting development of the Samabri-Biseni, Akri-Oguta, Ubie-Oshi and Afuo-Ogainbiri fields, jointly held with Italy's Eni, which are said to host another 6.4 trillion cubic feet of gas. Shell confirmed that its “significant near-field gas discovery” at Epu, close to the producing Gbaran Ubie complex, will be processed at that plant, alongside Gbaran Ubie phase two production, which is set to peak before the end of 2019 at 175,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from Kolo Creek, Gbaran, and Koroama.

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation managing director Maikanti Baru said the 7CGDP gas developments will help plug the 3.4 Bcfd shortfall for power generation as national demand looks set to climb toward 7 Bcfd by 2020.

Weekly

Shell commits to three projects in drive to boost output