Tag: Belema Oil

  • MOSOP urges Buhari to intervene, end threat to peace in Ogoni

    MOSOP urges Buhari to intervene, end threat to peace in Ogoni

    The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and end the threat to peace in Ogoniland by putting a check to the activities of Belema Oil Producing Limited and Robo-Michael Limited.

    It accused the two indigenous oil firms of desperation for Ogoni oil, which it insisted had created local groups that were sharply divided against one another, with potential for serious crisis in the four Ogoni Local Government Areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.

    MOSOP, through its Publicity Secretary, Fegalo Nsuke, yesterday in Port Harcourt, stated that the divide and conquer tactics of Belema oil producing limited and Robo-Michael limited, described as associates of the Anglo/Dutch oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), were seriously pitching Ogoni people against one another, which could degenerate to crisis.

    It said: “The way forward is a peaceful settlement through dialogue, taking into strong consideration, the interest of the Ogoni people, as articulated in the Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR) of August 26, 1990.

    “We wish to express displeasure with the officials of the Federal Government of Nigeria for feigning ignorance, while companies representing its interest, notably Belema Oil Producing Limited and Robo-Michael Limited, continue to sponsor local actors who have turned themselves into rival groups, projecting the various interests of their sponsors and representing real threats to the peace of Ogoniland.

    Read Also:  MOSOP  urges Buhari to protect Ogoni

    “We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to call to order, Belema Oil Producing Limited and Robo-Michael Limited. Ogoni people have at no time approved the resumption of oil mining in the area..

    “President Buhari should also prevail on all stakeholders involved in the remediation of Ogoniland to immediately release their counterpart funds for the clean-up of our polluted lands.

    “We note the threats faced by our people due to the continued delay in the clean-up of Ogoniland and are dismayed that while the reality of the death sentence passed on our people by Shell’s poor business operations remains with us, the Federal Government is rather silent and by implication encouraging Nigerian companies representing its interest, notably Belema Oil Producing Limited and Robo-Michael Limited, to continue to sponsor groups and cause strong division, with potential to ignite serious conflict in Ogoniland.”

    The umbrella organisation of Ogoni people also urged President Buhari to take full responsibility for the peace of Ogoniland by prevailing on the indigenous oil companies not to cause crisis in the area, through the various groups being sponsored to advance their interests in Ogoniland.

    MOSOP declared that oil resumption in Ogoniland was not its priority for now, stressing that the Federal Government must initiate discussions involving all parties to the prolonged conflict, including Shell, to ensure peaceful resolution.

     

  • Oil firm pledges  to end  gas flaring  in 2019

    Oil firm pledges to end gas flaring in 2019

    Belema Oil Producing Limited, a major indigenous player in the nation’s oil and gas industry, says it will  end gas flaring in its host communities in  2019.

    The Managing Director of  the company, Mr Boma Brown, said  this on Monday at a forum  to introduce its operation model  to its host communities  in Port Harcourt.

    He said that gas flaring had  deprived the country  of huge revenue,  polluted oil producing areas and depleted the ozone layer.

    According to him, the company is  now ready to harness its flared gas to generate more revenue.

    “We have already set up a team to monetise our gas which is basically to turn the gas presently flared into revenue as part of our business model.

    “The company is currently speaking and engaging stakeholders with  a focus to ending  gas flaring in five oil fields in Idama, Robertkiri, Jokka, Inda and Belema-Belema North,  all in Kula (Rivers).

    “We have already started the framework by carrying out the projects that we have earmarked to stop gas flaring  before the end of 2019,” he said.

    Brown said that government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had  shown willingness to end gas flaring in the country in 2020.

    He  expressed optimism that deregulation of the downstream industry would  drive needed investment in the oil and gas sector.

    Brown  expressed optimism that his company’s   drive to end gas flaring would encourage other multinational oil companies to follow suit and end decades-long pollution in the Niger Delta.

    “Introduction of Belema Model to our host communities is part of our desire to create value in the communities and allow them share in the wealth.

    “We want communities to participate in our activities – not just only in surveillance of oil and gas facilities – but to acquire skills that would enable them participate in the industry.

    “We will do this through regular training and   integration with our contractors while employing some of them to work with the company,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NNPC recently released a template to curb gas flaring,  preparatory to the 2020 flare deadline by the Department of Petroleum Resources .

  • Shell flays illegal occupation of Belema oil facilities

    The illegal occupation of Belema Flow Station and Gas Plant in Rivers State has safety implications both for the people at the facilities and nearby communities, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) has warned.

    Since August 11, some persons have camped out day and night at the two facilities.

    In a statement yesterday, SPDC said it was “deeply concerned that unauthorised persons, including women and children, have been observed in close proximity to equipment that process crude oil and gas without the protection of safety clothing that is mandatory for people working in or accessing such restricted areas”.

    SPDC had carried out an emergency shutdown of production ahead of the illegal occupation, but has been unable to access the facilities since then to ensure a safe shutdown over a prolonged period.

    “The continued illegal occupation for many days exposes people at the plant to higher safety risks as anything could trigger a spill or fire with potentially serious consequences,” the company warned.

    SPDC said it was committed to Niger Delta’s growth, especially host communities of Belema and Kula.

    The SPDC JV partners have contributed $29 billion to the economic growth of Nigeria between 2012–2016. The SPDC JV is also supporting various GMoU Cluster Development Boards in the Niger Delta and mentoring NGOs to deploy N7 billion for development projects of host communities’ choice under the GMoU programme.

  • Belema Oil promises host communities new deal

    An indigenous oil firm, Belema Oil Producing Limited has promised to minimise the issue of vandalism and restiveness through a better relationship, empowerment and scholarship for the members of the host communities.

    The firm said it will continue to do more in the area of employment and community development so as to maintain the existing peace within the jurisdiction of their operation.

    Speaking at the first meeting of the newly inaugurated Board of Directors of the company, the founder/ President of Belema Oil Producing Limited, Mr. Jackrich Tein said the firm is giving more attention to cooperate socio-responsibility.

    Tein who has employed more than 700 youths from the host communities in the area said if the firm must succeed, the host communities must be given the attention and respect not as members of the host communities  but as stakeholders.

    He noted that to fight vandalism, restiveness and hostility in Niger Delta region, the youth must be given the opportunity to serve, adding that even when they don’t have the skill, effort should be made to train them in the area of their priority.

    He called on the youths  to eschew violence and pipeline vandalism, stressing that aggressive agitation cannot solve any problem rather it will endanger the people and their environment.

    He said:  “Today, we have our first board of directors meeting, I have handed over  the company chairmanship position to Mr. Nedo Osayande and I’ m now the president  and other key position was also appointed just to reposition the company to be among the best in the world.

    “The only way to sustainable cohesion and peace is to involve host communities in the frontiers of ventures of this nature.  We are involving them by creating a huge employment opportunity for them. Give them relevant contracts, even if they don’t have the capacity but you teach them on how to form partnership and then they can showcase that ability to pursue their goal.

    “Involving them is also to increase production, since we took over production has been going high. We took over at 1,400 barrels a day but now we produce more than that a day these is because there has been a lot of cohesion within the local communities.”