Total E&P Nigeria Limited on Tuesday announced the completion of the construction of a section of its Northern Option Pipeline, NOPL from Kilometre 38 at Obigbo in Rivers State, to Kilometre 50 at Imo River.

The company said in a statement that with construction work completed on January 12, the pipeline is now ready to convey gas to one of the National Integrated Power Plant, NIPP at Alaoji, along the Imo River in Abia State.

Managing Director of Total E&P Nigeria Limited, Elisabeth Proust, said the project would help the Federal Government realise its aspiration of adequate supply of gas to the power plants to facilitate improved electricity supply.

“This milestone will help bring to reality the Federal Government’s aspiration of improved electric power supply in Nigeria,” Mrs. Proust said. “It demonstrates Total’s commitment to meeting its promises to deliver Better Energy.”

The NOPL is a 24 inch wide, 50 km long pipeline system under construction by Total E&P Nigeria Limited on behalf of the Nigerian National Petroleum, NNPC/TEPNG Joint Venture.

When completed later this year, Mrs. Proust said the project would deliver about 100 million cubic feet of gas per day to Alaoji power plant.

Inadequate gas supply to the newly built power plants has been an excuse the Federal Government has always given for the poor electricity in the country in recent times.
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To ensure early gas supply to power plants, the Federal Government had requested the multinational oil companies, including Total E&P Nigeria, to complete various gas supply projects to resolve the situation.
The section of the pipeline where the line connects to Nigeria Gas Company, NGC, facilities was vital for conveying gas to the Alaoji Power Plant.

Total Nigeria said this intervention for early gas required the mobilization of additional resources to fast track the works in order to meet the deadline despite numerous changes associated with the difficult terrain.

The gas now being supplied to the Alaoji power plant during the interim period, the company said, would come from Seven Energy, while NGC would transport the gas through their pipeline and the section of the NOPL.