The Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) and other companies handling training in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry have been advised to reposition themselves and redesign their training modules to enable them overcome the challenges created by the Coronavirus pandemic and crash of crude oil price.

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote gave the advice during a webinar organised by OGTAN recently with a theme “Challenges, Opportunities, and New Realities for O&G Trainers.”

Wabote warned that the twin challenge of COVID-19 pandemic and low price of crude oil might remain for a considerable time and would negative impact oil and gas training as most face to face programmes will no longer hold. He further warned that there will be delayed learning interventions, loss of businesses, revenue and jobs.

According to the ES, most oil and gas training would likely take place in virtual classrooms and would require virtual machines, simulators and dongles.

He noted that such training would demand a high cost of set up, but hinted that the operational cost would be lower over time and learning costs would become cheaper.

Wabote also said that virtual learning models might lead to lower assimilation by the trainees and reduced profits for the companies at the onset.

He listed critical requirements for oil and gas training in this regime to include “expanded spaces for ongoing training, reduced number of students per classroom, increased cost of instructors, face masks, hand sanitizers, hand gloves, soaps and water.”

He identified the negative impact of the prevailing circumstance on OGTAN members to include “stoppage and cancellation of training programmes, delay in payments, reduction in the number or trainees and higher cost of administering programmes.”

Continuing, he said, other effects might include “abandonment of physical classrooms despite huge investments already made, need for new capitalisation to acquire infrastructure, absence of high speed internet and need for retraining of faculties.”

He also warned there would be shortage of training opportunities because the oil industry was suffering from no new projects and crash in oil price, hence no funding for trainings, competitive rivalry and lack of certainty in training opportunities.

Speaking further Wabote said the new regime of virtual training would attract new and global competitors, some with advanced technologies. He advised local players to explore collaborations, international accreditations, quality, cost and differentiation.

For ongoing training programmes, Wabote advised OGTAN members to implement COVID- 19 safety measures, redesign time table and number of trainees per class, provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and redesign On the Job Trainings (OJT) and labouratory events.

For medium term plans, he charged training firms “to redesign hands-on classes and leverage technology, move majority of theoretical trainings online, retrain faculties for virtual training and provide infrastructure.”

Other strategies are to expand the market place, advertise online, get international students and include trainings required in the other sectors of the economy in their offerings. He also recommended for training companies to consider partnerships, consider jointly establishing a global virtual university with hubs around the world and mergers and acquisition of smaller players.

Dwelling on interventions from the NCDMB, Wabote hinted that the Board would provide tablets or laptops in future virtual trainings and would consider a special funding for the acquisition of training technology.

He confirmed that a special E-Learning Centre will be established in the Board’s Specialised Centre in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and a new trainees’ handbook and new Human Capacity Development Guideline will be launched.

He assured that NCDMB will continue the payment of trainees’ allowances and will provide for data allowances for participants in new trainings.

While confirming that the Board will also provide PPE for trainees on Direct Intervention trainings, he said majority of such trainings will go online, even as first consideration will be given to Nigerian Trainers.

On their part, training companies would be expected to provide world class quality of learning modules and ensure that the participants acquire the right competences and certifications upon the completion of their programmes.

The NCDMB boss said the Board would also expect value for money and positive benchmarks with similar trainings offered by global competitors.

He added that training opportunities will be driven by categorisation of OGTAN members and there must be assurance of safety for trainees during face to face events, laboratory instructions, field visits and OJT.

Peace Obi

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)-led Oil & Gas Industry Intervention Initiative on COVID-19 at the weekend began the third phase of their support programme with the ground breaking ceremony for a permanent Emergency and Infectious Diseases Hospital for the South-South Region in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. 

The NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr Kennie Obateru on Sunday said the event flagged–off the intervention group’s plan to deliver lasting medical infrastructure across the six-geopolitical zones in the Country.   

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva said the project was part of the Nigerian Oil Industry Coalition initiative led by the NNPC to support the nation’s efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Sylva, Bayelsa State was considered a suitable site for the project given its pioneering role in the history of oil and gas in the country and its current contribution of about 40 per cent to onshore crude oil output.

He reiterated that the oil industry was contributing about N21billion worth of support provided through internal procurement processes of contributing companies.

Also, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, disclosed that the corporation was working with its Joint Venture partners across the Upstream, Midstream and Downstream sectors to support the Health Sector.

Kyari who spoke through the corporation’s Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), who is also the coordinator of the initiative in the Petroleum Industry, Mr. Bala Wunti, said that the NNPC-led intervention had allocated the N21billion-worth of support to various International Oil Companies, Indigenous operators with Joint Venture stakes across the oil sector.

He explained that the infectious diseases hospital to be sited on a 1,586 square metre-space would serve as zonal isolation centre for COVID-19 and would serve as a referral  hospital for communicable diseases after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Managing Director of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Mr Lorenzo Fiorillo stated that the outbreak of COVID-19 disease had put a lot of strain on healthcare systems and personnel globally.

Speaking through the Head of Community Relations, (NAOC,) Fiorillo said that the company remained sympathetic to help navigate the threat posed by COVID-19 pandemic, which he explained, had resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. 

He said the project being delivered in Bayelsa State would engender a valuable medical asset to the South-South region of the Country.

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, who earlier applauded Sylva for attracting the project to the state, performed the ground-breaking ceremony in company of other dignitaries including Mr Chukwuemaka Nwajiobi, Minister of State for Education, who represented the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Secretary to Government of Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha at the occasion.

Peace Obi

The First Quarter (Q1) report from various oil and gas companies reaffirmed the difficult situation the energy companies are dealing with as a result of the slump in oil price as well as the COVID-19-induced disruptions to energy demand.

The Q1 of 2020 saw extraordinary volatility in the oil and gas industry leaving many balance sheets in the negative as their profit margins dropped from 50 to 67 per cent.

For example, BP’s net profit dropped 67%, ConocoPhillips reported a Q1 loss of $1.7bn, and Royal Dutch Shell reduced dividends by 65% – the first cut for the company since World War II. Sinopec recorded a $2.71bn loss despite fuel sales rebounding.

ExxonMobil, the US’s biggest oil company, suffered a loss of $610m for the first quarter of the year. This represents a sharp reversal from a $2.4bn profit a year earlier.

Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) on Friday reported earnings of $3.6 billion ($1.93 per share – diluted) for first quarter 2020, compared with earnings of $2.6 billion ($1.39 per share – diluted) in the first quarter of 2019.

In response to the prevailing situation, the company said it would reduce its 2020 capital spending plans by an additional $2 billion, to $14 billion, adding that it expects operating expenses to fall by $1 billion.

In March, the company had previously announced a 20% cut to its capital spending plan — from $20 billion to $16 billion — and said it was suspending its stock buyback program in an effort to reduce costs.

An analyst at GlobalData, Ella Benson Easton, said: “These numbers confirm the strain the oil and gas industry is under. The real difficulty situation for the industry is gaining a degree of stability, particularly given the uncertainty around the full impact of the pandemic on things such as customer behaviour and investment priorities.

“Some oil companies have touted more sustainable investments and principles in recent years. Both Shell and BP aim to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The recently exposed instability in the oil industry makes a speedy transition to sustainable energy a necessity.

“Sustainability will remain a key theme for enterprises across industry sectors well beyond COVID-19.

According to Easton GlobalData’s sustainability framework shows the areas in which companies need to focus their investment to put themselves in a position to succeed.

“Increased investment in renewable energies and modern technologies are now vital as oil companies insulate themselves against further price shocks.

“Oil companies that diversify their investments and invest in the sustainability theme will be better placed to survive the long-term effects of the current crisis,” she said.

Peace Obi

  …NNPC commiserates with victims

One person has been killed by the fire outbreak that occurred at the Oando filling station, Obalende area of Lagos on Friday as it left many people injured.

The 45,000-litre capacity tanker loaded with petrol belonging to Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) caught fire after it fell on its side in front of the filling station.

The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the development, said LASEMA responded promptly to the distress call about the fire outbreak, adding that officials from the agency were dispatched to the scene where they along with men of the Lagos State Fire Service and the Federal Fire Service fought and brought the fire under control.

“Unfortunately, the inferno has resulted in a single fatality, 15 minor casualties, and one major casualty, who happens to be a Lagos State Firefighter. He has been subsequently transferred to the Lagos State General Hospital for treatment while the minor casualties received on the scene medical attention,” he said.

“We appeal for calm and urge members of the public to keep away and allow the responders to complete their work.”

Oando is the second filling station to have encountered a fire incident this week in Lagos State. A similar fire outbreak occurred on Monday at a NNPC filling station, on Kayode Street, off College Road, Ogba area of the state.

The fire razed a part of the filling station and a car mart nearby. No fewer than 30 cars were burnt in the fire.

NNPC commiserates with victims of Lagos fuel tanker fire incident

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has commiserated with families of the victims of Friday’s fuel tanker fire incident at Obalende area of Lagos State.

NNPC in a statement issued Lagos by the Corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, Dr. Kennie Obateru, NNPC wishes all those that sustained injuries in the incident quick recovery.

Obateru explained that all the injured people had been taken to the hospital while further investigation was on to determine the cause of the accident.

He said: “A fuel truck belonging to NPPC’s petroleum products retail affiliate, NNPC Retail Limited, was involved in the road accident while conveying petrol from the Satellite depot to the NNPC Mega Station in Ikoyi, Lagos.

“The mishap, which occurred around 5pm Friday, led to the inferno which consumed the petrol-laden truck in front of a hospital and gas station.”

Obateru expressed appreciation to the good spirited people of Lagos around the scene of the incident and fire service personnel who brought the fire under control.

Peace Obi

Africa is at an energy crossroads! The continent’s best educated, most entrepreneurial and competitive generation is rising and taking on leadership positions that will propel African companies to become more competitive.
After such a long time dealing with the problems of the past, Africans can now look to the future. After all, when it comes to natural resources such as oil, gas, coal, diamonds, rare earths, wood and agricultural potential, combined with legacy-free technological development, there is no place like Africa.

Over the last decade, most of the world’s biggest oil and gas discoveries have been on the African continent, and rapidly developing indigenous companies, along with ambitious local content policies, are ensuring resources serve Africans and African economies.

Oil and gas training programmes and university degrees that cater to the industry are now more common than ever. These programs are educating and giving opportunities for numerous Africans to find work in the energy industry and further, to start their own companies within the industry’s supply chain.

While the drive to strengthen the integration of the energy sector and other extractive industries with the rest of the economic system is far from complete, it has certainly been fundamental in developing Nigeria’s indigenous upstream sector or in building a truly native gas industry in Equatorial Guinea.

In Nigeria for example, this critical mass of local talent has been instrumental in the establishment of regional energy giants like Seplat Petroleum, Sahara Energy, Atlas Petroleum International Limited and Shoreline Natural Resources, whose influence is felt more and more beyond Nigeria’s borders.

Local content clauses in contracts assure that the exploitation of local natural resources has a trickle-down effect on the local economy, through job-creation and training. Furthermore, most recent localization strategies for the oil and gas sector have been successful in developing truly native associated industries, particularly within the natural gas supply chain.

Intra-African trade in both natural gas and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is also likely to rise significantly. Rapid urbanization and development across the continent are set to increase energy consumption by more than 50% before 2040. This will speed up wealth creation and capacity building across borders.

Following the oil price crash of 2014, many countries across Africa have sought to reposition themselves to attract investment into their energy sectors through the introduction of varying incentives. 

These incentives ranged from granting tax breaks to potential investors to reducing bureaucracy affecting the sector. On the other hand, the recent global climate change discourse, which has also intentionally sought to demonize and hinder investments into Africa’s oil and gas sector, poses a new challenge to its growth.

The issue of climate change has come to dominate the global energy debate. An energy transition is necessary to tackle the effects of CO2 emissions on a planetary scale. While Africa has contributed only a minuscule part of those emissions, it stands to suffer greatly from the effects of this change and must prepare for a progressive shift in its energy structure. 

In many ways, the channelling of natural gas for power generation and the upgrading of oil and gas infrastructure to improve efficiencies is already going a long way to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. New renewable energy projects from Kenya to South Africa will also help balance out the continent’s energy matrix as it expands its electrification rates to reach every African in every corner of the continent.

Many international and foreign institutions have already started to share their expertise with African governments, and many foreign investors have begun developing their own projects in the mother-continent. 

Wind farms, solar parks, geothermal drilling and hydropower plants are taking advantage of each region’s available resources. Here too, these renewable resources must be used for the benefit of Africans, and they must be developed with the participation of Africans in a manner that is economically sustainable.

According to Verner Ayukegba, Senior Vice President with the African Energy Chamber and Director of Operations at DMWA Resources, a pan-African energy marketing & investment firm: “It is fundamental that these new technologies and sources of energy suit the communities which they are meant to serve. Climate concerns cannot side-line discussions over local content and localization strategies.

They must go hand in hand, be one and the same, or else we may again find ourselves dependent on foreign knowledge to provide for our energy needs. Such dependence is unlikely to lead to the mass scale of development with the potential to lift large swaths of the population out of poverty.”

Education programs and employment clauses are a fundamental step of the energy transition and not a secondary aspect of it. Market-driven local content frameworks need to be designed for capacity building, employment generation and overall enforcing a value-adding multiplying effect in our economies.

Already, we see examples of gas-poor countries like South Africa investing in natural gas and LNG projects in gas rich Mozambique with the aim of reducing their growing energy deficit. As demand rises, exploration will accelerate and so will the use of the vast gas resources, including those that continue to be wasted through flaring.

The African Continental Free Trade Zone is an ideal platform to promote the development of an intra-African natural gas trade that will promote widespread economic growth and access to power. 

Again, it is fundamental that these developments are pegged to well implemented and designed local content policies, so that Africans can truly benefit from the exploitation of their continent’s resources and be active participants in their energy transition.

From Africa Oil Week

National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said that more than 1,000 graduate trainees it recruited recently will assume duty on Monday, May 2020, a step it said marks the successful completion of the 2019/2020 recruitment exercise by the Corporation.

The trainees had completed online documentation, and will commence virtual onboarding on Monday.

According to the NNPC’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr Kennie Obateru, the trainees will assume duty, first virtually while the corporation monitors the COVID -19 situation and the Federal Government’s directives to determine a date of physical assumption of duty.

NNPC noted that the option of virtual assumption of duty was necessitated by the need to comply with extant protocol on social distancing and reduced number of people in workplace, among other measures that have been introduced by government as a result of the pandemic.

Congratulating the successful graduate trainees, the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari told the trainees that much was expected of them.

Stating that the recruitment and resumption of the trainees were part of his succession plans to assure the future of NNPC group, Kyari said the assumption of duty of the graduate trainees marks the successful completion of the 2019/2020 recruitment exercise.

He said NNPC as an equal opportunity employer with business interests across the Oil & Gas Industry value chain will continue to recruit the best hands in order to buoy its operations nationwide.

Peace Obi

OILSERV Ltd, Foundation donates food, medical supplies worth over 100 million naira to host communities, states and Federal Government of Nigeria.

In a bid to cushion the effect of the pandemic on the livelihood and health of its host communities in Rivers State as well as support other States and the Federal Government in the fight against the pandemic, Oilserv Limited in conjunction with the Sir. Emeka Okwuosa Foundation donated foodstuff and medical supplies worth over 100 million naira.

In Rivers state, a total of 350 bags of rice were distributed to four different host communities namely; Woji (100 bags) Rumuibekwe (100bags) Ogale, Eleme (50 bags) and Uzuaku community in Abia state (100bags). 

The company will also be donating medical supplies worth over 70 million Naira which includes 6000 disposable face masks; 1500 FDA approved mask; 80 cartons of hand gloves; 8 cartons face shields containing 500pcs per cart, 1200 disposable protective suit; 250 infrared thermometers; 5 facial and temperature monitor; 2500 COVID 19 rapid test kits (15 minutes result).These materials have been ordered and are arriving this week. 

The benefitting States are; Rivers, Anambra, Enugu and the Presidential Task Force through the NNPC.

Also, driven by the sheer determination and passion to impact lives positively, The Sir. Emeka Okwuosa Foundation also donated over 3,000 bags of rice and a lorry load of yams (8000 tubers) to families in Oraifite and Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra state to cushion the effect of the Corona Virus and the lockdown in the state. 

Speaking with the press, Director of the Sir. Emeka Okwuosa Foundation, Hon. Azuka Okwuosa said, “we believe in the power of humanity to solve any challenge. 

 “The Foundation’s contribution to families and communities in Anambra state aligns with our deeply rooted commitment to impacting lives positively and to support the state government against the fight of the Corona Virus at this difficult time’’.

He further stated that their thoughts and prayers “are with those affected by COVID-19 and the healthcare workers on the front lines battling to contain the outbreak.”

The Foundation’s poverty alleviation programme which also comes through capacity building, provision of basic amenities such as roads and water, and award of scholarship to the people, had improved the standard of living of people in Oraifite and its neighbouring communities.

Oilserv ccommended the Federal and State governments in their efforts to not only find solution to the pandemic and treat patients that have contracted the disease, but in their daunting effort to provide palliative to the teeming populace.

Oilserv Limited, a leading Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation and Commissioning Company in Nigeria has been a major player in the Oil/Gas industry since her inception in 1992 and has contributed immensely to the development of pipelines systems infrastructure in Oil & Gas industry in Nigeria as well as other infrastructural projects that positively affect the economy of the country.

Peace Obi

The Gabonese Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons is pushing for the mobilisation of African capital to finance the recovery of the continent’s economies as the Covid-19 crises bite harder.

In order to advance the Year of Investment, 2020 projects and have them backed by credible African investors, Equatorial Guinea’s minister for mines and hydrocarbons, Mr Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, has held a working meeting with senior representatives of the Development Bank of the Central African States (BDEAC) in this regard.

The BDEAC delegation was headed by the Bank’s President, Fortunato Ofa Mbo Nchama, and the institution’s representative in Malabo, Mrs Nadège Bongouande. 

The meeting took place within the Ministerial department where the preventive measures established by the WHO and the Government of Equatorial Guinea in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic are being followed.

Accompanied by Oscar Garcia Berniko, General Director of State Companies, Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima briefed Mbo Nchama on the status of Equatorial Guinea’s Year of Investment. 

He notably presented the key projects offered under the initiative, including a modular refinery for domestic supply, an additional modular refinery which could be destined for exports, storage tanks for refined products, methanol derivatives manufacturing, an industrial mining area with a gold refinery, and a urea plant project. 

The presentation was aimed at ensuring that regional and pan-African financial institutions such as the BDEAC become key actors of Africa’s recovery in the years to come.

“Our government will continue deploying support with the right kind of policies across the oil and gas value chain and I believe the industry experience of oil and gas companies and financial institutions will be critical to meeting that challenge and not only weathering the current crisis but leading the way forward,” stated the minister in a statement yesterday 

“Working with the Development Bank of the Central African States is right for our country. Beyond raising capital for projects, it is key to helping us become more economically sustainable by advising us on how to adapt and embed resiliency into our strategy. I see big benefits from working with the BDEAC for our country and most importantly our citizens,” added the minister.

The Year of Investment 2020 projects aim at attracting investments across Equatorial Guinea’s midstream and downstream industries to promote the greatest added value to the oil industry of the country through job creation.

In light of the ongoing economic crisis in the region, the Year of Investment has also become a way for Equatorial Guinea to ensure a quick and sustainable recovery of its economy by promoting investments in key infrastructure projects that can create local value and generate revenue for the country.

President Mbo Nchama expressed his satisfaction regarding the level of collaboration between the BDEAC and Equatorial Guinea up until now, and pledged to assess the MMH’s proposed projects.
The Year of Investment 2020 is progressing despite the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19. During a special webinar co-organised by the African Energy Chamber and Africa Oil & Power this week, H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima announced special measures to keep the local oil sector attractive, and revealed that key projects would break ground in the fourth quarter of this year.

By Chibisi Ohakah 

…PPPRA parleys CBN on proposal

Nigeria may return to the erstwhile regime of private businesses sourcing for petroleum products from anywhere, and having the products run under market driven-forces.

Orient Energy Review (OER) investigations reveal that officials of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), are currently engaging their Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in discussions with hope of reopening the window of products importation to private businesses.

Private import-regime for petroleum products ruled until a couple of years ago when the Muhammadu Buhari administration domiciled petroleum products importation with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The federal government also retained retail pricing regulation which entailed fixing uniform pump price across all locations in the country.

The pricing regime had shut out private businesses as profit margins are wiped out by in-built subsidy in the pump price. But with the recent complete removal of oil subsidy, analysts said the federal government is disposed to letting market forces rule in all sectors of the industry. 

The PPPRA executive secretary, Mr Abdulkadir Saidu, confirmed the engagements with the CBN officials, stressing however that the move is aimed at determining the applicable Foreign Exchange (forex) rates for the importation of petroleum products and modality for accessing the forex window by the oil marketing companies.

“This rate is reflected on the pricing template to determine the expected open market price of the product. This means that going forward, the guiding price to be advised, will be determined based on the rates quoted by CBN. The price is expected to guide the sale of PMS in Nigeria. In fact, we plan to extend the same pricing mechanism to Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK), Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO), among others. The whole essence of the price band is to ensure price efficiency that is beneficial to both the consumers and oil marketers,” Saidu said in a statement he issued recently in Abuja.

The PPPRA boss pointed that Nigeria’s four refineries were expected to play key roles in the current fuel pricing regime, stressing that the policy would also create immense opportunity for increased private sector participation in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

“The Nation’s refineries are required to key into the new pricing regime just like all other operators both private and public. The new regime will open up the Oil and Gas Sector for more private players and investments in refineries, storage facilities and transportation.

“At the end of the day we expect to see more private players operating in the industry. The liberalization of the entire industry will make it possible for private investors to recoup their investments, leading to a more vibrant downstream sector,” he said.

Chibisi Ohakah

Engen, an Africa-based energy company has donated donated funds and 10,000 litres of diesel worth P94,800 to the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) who are working closely with the Botswana Police Services to assist in ensuring daily compliance with lockdown rules.

The company which operates in the downstream sector said the donation of COVID-19 Relief Fund and fuel was in its effort to assist the government of Botswana in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.

Engen made a donation of P150,000 as the company’s support to the COVID-19 Relief Fund, which is managed by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.

In a statement made obtained by the Orient Energy Review, stated that as a company that cares deeply about the communities in which it operates, its support to the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and the COVID-19 Relief Fund, was in an effort to play a small part in helping fight and overcome the pandemic. 

The Managing Director of Engen Botswana, Chimweta Monga confirmed that the company has donated P150,000 to the fund as a show of support and called on individuals and the private sector to make donations to the Fund and help assist the Government’s fight against the pandemic. 

“We are grateful to our Government and humbled by the work of the many organisations, NGO’s, businesses and individuals who have all pulled together in an effort to combat this outbreak,” said Monga. 

Engen has also prioritised hygiene measure at all forecourts and convenience stores as well as the provision of safety materials, including sanitizers, gloves and masks to all of dedicated Engen forecourt and Quickshop staff.

Engen is a leading marketer of fuels and lubricants in Botswana and currently operates 59 service stations and 39 Quickshop convenience stores across the country.

Peace Obi

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has released its crude official selling prices (OSPs) for May, cutting values for all its grades from the decades-lows in April.

According to a news report sourced from argusmedia.com, the state-owned oil company is set to sell all Nigerian grades for May at discounts to North Sea Dated, some of the lighter ones by upwards of $5/bl.

According to the report, at current Dated levels, this means some Nigerian grades will sell for less than $10/bl next month.

The report indicated that the price cuts by the corporation were informed by the necessity to forestall huge losses as the country lacks onshore storage facilities and desperately needs to sell to willing buyers.

An analysis of the crude price cuts indicated that the NNPC cuts prices for key grades by between 47¢/bl and 98¢/bl on the month, although market participants had expected larger cuts for the country’s main streams.

The report further stated: “NNPC cut Qua Iboe’s price by 82¢/bl from April to a discount to North Sea Dated of $3.92/bl, and cut the price of Forcados by 91¢/bl on the month to a discount of $3.91/bl to the benchmark.

“It made 66¢/bl cuts to Bonny Light and Brass River, to discounts of $3.95/bl and $3.82/bl, respectively.

“Among the bigger streams NNPC again priced Egina the highest, at a $2.49/bl discount to Dated. NNPC considers Egina a condensate, even though its gravity suggests it is crude.

“Among lighter grades NNPC cut the price of Agbami and Akpo by $1.30/bl and $2.38/bl to $5.30/bl and $6.38/bl below the benchmark respectively, and cut the price of heavy sweet Eremor by $3.53/bl to a discount of $7.53/bl, the lowest value for the 33 grades NNPC listed.

“NNPC’s cut to the highly acidic medium-sweet Usan was 53¢/bl, to a discount of $4.53/bl.

“The highest-priced grades remained medium and light-sweet EA Blend and Okwuibome at $1.51/bl and $1.69/bl discounts, respectively”, the report added

Nigeria’s state-owned oil corporation usually publishes its official selling prices (OSPs) for the upcoming month between the 15th and 25th of the preceding month.

The OSPs for April-loading cargoes were published on 23 March, while the March and February OSPs were issued on 19 February and 16 January, respectively.

The OPEC Secretariat said it has been hosting series of energy round tables with select experts from international institutions, the oil industry and the financial community following two Extraordinary OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meetings held via videoconference on 9 and 12 April.

It stated that participants from IHS Markit, the Atlantic Council and Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy presented their views on the historic outcome of the Ministerial Meetings and the unparalleled economic and oil market conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It further stated discussion topics have also included the broader dialogue and cooperative efforts among major producing countries beyond the DoC; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world economy; and the sudden contraction in oil demand and the ensuing major imbalance in the market.

“It is of enormous strategic importance that we hold these energy round tables, drawing on the expertise of leading analysts, scholars and economists, to get a deeper understanding of the market and conditions affecting it,” said OPEC Secretary-General, HE Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo.

According to the OPEC Secretariat, global market research analysts from Citi will be joining today’s discussions. Adding that participants will examine current market volatility and large uncertainties about the world economy and oil demand prospects.

Peace Obi

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) said it is offering flexible, affordable and applicable virtual training solutions to engineers everywhere in the world, stressing that lifelong learning for engineers doesn’t stop, even under quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 According to a recent survey of approximately 3,000 engineers conducted by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), eight in 10 engineers anticipate a change in operations due to COVID-19 and reduction of business overall.

It hinted that the escalation of change in an already evolving industry landscape has prompted ASME to offer even more flexible, affordable, and applicable virtual training solutions to help engineers strengthen their skills for the current and post-pandemic workplace.

ASME Executive Director/CEO Tom Costabile said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on lives and livelihoods. The engineering work landscape has been rapidly evolving, and the pandemic has accelerated and changed the landscape in ways we are only beginning to understand.

“Engineers are applying technologies including artificial intelligence, robotics and 3D printing to help respond to the public health crisis, and also to adapt processes in many industrial sectors and transform supply chains for the future.”

ASME Director of Learning and Development Arin Ceglia adds, “A significant number of engineers graduate with powerful textbook knowledge of fundamentals and theory, but lack the skills needed to apply that knowledge in their day-to-day work. Even experienced engineers might become siloed and not have the ability and awareness to keep pace with the rapidly evolving technical field.”

According to the Society, these two factors have combined to create a skills gap that worries industry leaders and educators. In manufacturing, for example, a 2018 (pre-pandemic) Deloitte study had estimated 2.4 million jobs would remain unfilled between 2018 and 2028, with an estimated economic impact of $2.5 trillion.

“Addressing this skills gap is critical, and it informs how those of us working in engineering learning and development approach everything from course design to education technology,” says Ceglia.

It stated that many courses featured in ASME’s current training portfolio are based on the application of ASME codes and standards—from boilers and pressure vessels and gas turbines to piping and pipelines and design and materials.

Others it said include opportunities for advancing engineering technology, including additive manufacturing, cell manufacturing and industrial automation. These courses fulfil a need to deliver this information faster, smarter, and in a more convenient way, and are now available with significantly discounted pricing.

ASME courses are built as part of a competency framework, or a learning architecture, so they also contribute to completing a stronger picture of a learner’s knowledge capabilities, indicating levels achieved in a set of core competencies, along with skills. 

According to Society, employers can track their employees’ progress in these competencies or skills, identifying areas of progress as well as where improvement (and targeted investment) is needed.

Peace Obi