A team of nine geologists will soon commence the exploration of oil in the Bida Basin in Minna, Niger State.  The geologists are members of staff of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai.

Ibrahim Kolo, the Vice Chancellor of the university, on Monday told newsmen that scientific studies had shown that the Basin had hydrocarbon deposit and the geologists were undertaking the study of the basin.

Also, Yabagi Sani, an assistant to the Niger State governor on Oil and Gas, said the state is thinking of setting up a refinery at the Baro port for the refining of crude oil.

“We can easily get crude from Niger Delta and refine it and send it to other parts of Northern region or sell abroad,” he said.

Mr. Kolo added that the study would enable the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to carry out further study and drilling of the designated site for oil.

“Our task is to provide the necessary data’’.

He said the state government through the “Gubernatorial Committee on Bida Basin’’ was assisting the university with the required funds to undertake the study in order to determine the state’s economic potential.

Kolo said NNPC’s exploration agency is expected to carry out its own study of the basin preparatory to the drilling of the identified sites for oil.

He said the geologists are expected to collect and analyse samples from four locations, including Bida, Batati, Enagi and Sapke.

The team will spend nine months on the first phase of the study before the data would be ready for NNPC and other interested groups to assess, Prof. Kolo said.