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Tag: Wapco

  • WAPCo: No disruption to gas supply

    WAPCo: No disruption to gas supply

    The West African Gas Pipeline (WAPCo) has allayed the fears of gas consumers on a possible shortage of the commodity’s supply following the commencement of the second phase of its pipeline maintenance.

    The firm, at the weekend began the pigging (cleaning) exercise at the transnational company’s LBS in Ajido, Badagry.

    WAPCo’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Isaac Adjei Doku, maintained that the major maintenance is to upscale the company’s efficient service to its customers. Besides, he explained that the maintenance is a statutory exercise carried out every five years.

    He disclosed that the ongoing efforts, which would guarantee the integrity of the pipeline is to make sure that the asset is in pristine position to ensure that the pipeline, which transports gas from N-gas in Nigeria to over 650 plants – including electricity generation companies – in Ghana, Togo, and Benin Republic, supplies the commodity that helps power over 1,000 MW in the three nations remains in top notch condition.

    “We have done the first phase, which is the maintenance of our onshore line starting from Itoki in Ogun Nigeria to LBS in Ajido here, in October. The second is from February 5 to March 2. It is the maintenance of our offshore lines for the four weeks window from LBS to Takoradi in Ghana.

    “The last phase is the intelligence phase, where technology will be deployed to detect any possible anomaly that can be detected, may be due to corrosion, or any other things and such will be fixed,” Doku explained.

    The company, which operates a 569-kilometre offshore pipeline infrastructure from Ajido, Badagry, Lagos State, to Takoradi, Western Region, Ghana, Doku added, will also replace its critical subsea valves at Tema and Cotonou in Benin Republic, to enhance operational safety.

    Doku also noted that the maintenance project will necessitate the temporary suspension of specific services, including the reverse flow transportation of natural gas from Ghana’s Western Region to Tema in the east, as well as gas transportation services from Nigeria to Cotonou (Benin), Lomé (Togo), and Tema (Ghana).

    Read Also: WAPCo completes pipeline cleaning, inspection

    “However, some gas transportation services from Nigeria to Takoradi in Ghana will continue during this period to ensure the successful execution of the pipeline cleaning and inspection activities.”

    The comprehensive cleaning and inspection exercise is, according to him, a key regulatory requirement and aligns with industry best practices to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the West African Gas Pipeline.

    Doku expressed his company’s appreciation to the maritime and regulatory authorities across the four countries, as well as its customers, shippers, gas off-takers, host communities, shareholders, and all other relevant stakeholders for their continued collaboration and contribution to the success of this exercise.

    “WAPCo is committed to maintaining the proactive stakeholder engagement processes established during the project’s preparation phase during execution. The company will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders on all matters to ensure the project’s safe execution and success,” Doku added.

  • Axxela, WAPCo sign gas pact

    Axxela Limited, sub-Saharan Africa’s gas & power portfolio company, has signed a gas transportation agreement (GTA) with the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) to ferry over 15 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) of natural gas via the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) to Lome, Togo.

    During the signing  held in Accra, Ghana, Axxela’s Chief Executive Officer, Bolaji Osunsaya, said: “The partnership between Axxela, WAPCo, and the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) portends major benefits for the West African gas markets. The flow of new molecules beyond the existing foundation contracts will diversify gas supply sources into the WAGP and is a testament to Axxela’s proactive mid-term growth plan propelled by our collective professionalism, strategic partnerships, and drive to achieve excellence across our business enterprise. Undoubtedly, we remain firmly committed to the positioning of gas as a catalyst for socio-economic empowerment across the region’s key markets.”

    WAPCo Managing Director Walter Perez said: “With public and private players increasingly working together to propel the gas advantage, our partnership with Axxela speaks to our overarching strategy for increased regional supply and participation. WAPCo is continuously driven to spur regional gas integration, and we are highly delighted to welcome Axxela on board the WAGP, and look forward to a fruitful and industry-defining collaboration.”

    Axxela is also developing a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) in West Africa’s main commercial hub, Lagos, with the capacity to serve Nigeria and the region.

    The concept will see the injection of gas via a regasification terminal at a strategic location along the city’s coastline, with gas supplied via LNG shuttle vessels. The virtual pipeline solution will also enable uninterrupted gas supplies and enhance gas utilisation across key industrial clusters.

  • WAPCo spends N400m on youth enterprise scheme

    West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAGPCo) has invested over N400 million in community youth enterprises scheme (CYES) in its host communities to boost capacity development.

    WAGPCo’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs Mrs Harriet Wereko-Brobby, disclosed at the handing over of start-up tools to beneficiaries in Lagos.

    The programme was tagged, ‘Community Youth Enterprises Scheme (CYES).’

    Wereko-Brobby said the CYES initiative was introduced five years ago to support and empower brilliant young needy Nigerians to obtain tertiary education and vocational technical training.

    According to her, the programme was considered as an opportunity to impact many people within our host communities, which consists of a scholarship programme for students during their stay in any tertiary institutions.

    “Under the CYES scheme, WAGPCo has also trained 80 young Nigerians on vocational technical training and empowered them with tools to start up their business.

    “We have make-up tools boxes, gas cookers and gas cylinders, industrial tailoring sewing machines and iron, electrical tool box and welding machines to those students who have successfully graduated from the two-years training technical school,” she said.

    Mrs Wereko-Brobby said they decided to equip the graduates to enable them set up their own businesses. She said the scheme provides youths, who had completed basic education, but could not pursue further studies due to financial constraints, the opportunity to learn a trade of their choice in recognised vocational and technological institutions.

    “The beneficiaries have been trained in vocations such as welding and fabrication, fashion and design, catering and hotel management, woodwork and carpentry.

    “WAGPCo has spent over N225 million on scholarship scheme over the last six year. While over N167 million has also been spent on CYES programme, which does not include the cost of the start-up tools we gave to them today,’’ Wereko-Brobby said.

    She appealed to the beneficiaries to use the tools judiciously.

    The Olota of Ota land, Oba Abudul-Kabir Lanlede, lauded WAGPCo for its support to its host communities.

    The monarch urged the company to ensure the effective monitoring and mentorship of the beneficiaries and students under tertiary education scholarship.

    He urged the student to make use of the best opportunity given to them, adding: “You should be able to feed yourselves and your family with the economic empowerment given to you. This kind of opportunity comes rarely in one’s life time, so you should make use of it judiciously.”

    One of the instructors, Mrs Alice Okoka, lauded WAGPCo’s contributions to the students’ empowerment, adding that the students were qualified to start their businesses.

    According to her, the 80 students were given N10,000 monthly during the two-year internship.

    “The company also rented apartment for some of them who live far from the training school. Today, I am bold to tell you that the students are equal to the task,” she said.

    Ota Arobieye, Okomi, Egushi, Ijoko, Itoki, Owode, Igberen, and Ojigbo youths benefited from the programme.

  • WAPCO rewards students

    Lagos Model College, Kankon, Badagry, has emerged the overall winner of the West African Pipeline Company (WAPCO) Secondary Schools Annual Quiz competition.

    The contest, the fourth, featured seven secondary schools. They include: Iworo/Ajido Model Secondary School, Badagry Secondary Grammar School, Araromi/Ilogbo Secondary School and Topo Grammar School.

    Others are Methodist Senior Secondary School, Government Senior Secondary School, Lagos State Model, Kankon and Kankon Senior Secondary School.

    Aside Model College Kankon, six other participating schools got a trophy, mega waste bin and books. The cost of the books was determined by the rating of each school.

    During the competition, which held at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) office in Topo, Badagry, a Senior Manager with the West African Pipeline Company, Mr Romeo Obaye, said the competition aimed at testing the pupils’ understanding of key subjects, such as Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, English Language, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Government, and Current Affairs.

    He said the contest would prepare participants for future academic and professional challenges.

    He said the contest had helped in accessing the academic abilities of students, as well as preparing them for the West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and other exams, which they intend to write in the future.

    Obaye, who doubled as the quiz master, urged the pupils to strive for excellence, adding that education helps in shaping the future of people.

    Obaye said: ‘’We are in a world where information plays a pivotal role in the affairs of a man. Without education, you (students) cannot have access to information on new discoveries in sciences and other aspects of human endeavours. Based on this, I implore you to work harder to become somebody in life.’’

    He added: ‘’I’m seeing engineers, pilots, medical doctors and political leaders among you. However, you need to discover your potential, activate and allow them to be your drivers.’’

    Also, WAPCO’s External Relations Officer, Mr Temi Shodehinde, said the contest was part of the firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), adding that the organisation is committed to improving the knowledge of people in its host community.

     

     

     

     

  • WAPCo to increase gas supply to Ghana, others

    WAPCo to increase gas supply to Ghana, others

    The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) will  improve  supply of natural gas to thermal plants and industries in the sub-region, its General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs Harriet Wereko-Drobby, has said.

    She said the firm is ready to increase gas transportation to turbines and industrial entities, if there is no further attacks on oil and gas installations and its attendant declaration of force majeure on those facilities.

    According to her, WAPCo gets   gas from N-Gas2 owned by the Federal Government, Shell and Chevron, among others.

    Wereko-Brobby said: “It has become imperative for WAPCo to increase gas supply to its customers in the sub-region, following the completion of its 678- kilometre pipeline, which is the basic infrastructural facility for moving gas. The firm built the pipeline at $1billion and the term has come to leverage it to increase gas supply to West Africa.

    “In view of the fact that gas plays a major role in electricity generation, WAPCo supplies 85 per cent of its gas to power firms, while industries get 15 per cent.”

    She said the firm is transporting gas to its customers through its pipeline network, which runs from Itoki in Ogun State to Badagry in Lagos State to Cotonou in Benin Republic to Lome in Togo and terminated at Tema in Ghana.

    The firm, Bereko-Brobby said, has entered a commercial stage, in which it has to make commercial value out of gas transportaton.

    In an interview with The Nation, at the quiz competition for secondary pupils organised by the firm in Badagry, Bereko-Brobby said making commercial value out of gas transport was key to the survival of the company.

    She said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) owns 25 per cent stake in WAPCo, making it the second largest shareholder after Chevron West African Pipeline Limited with 36.7 per cent stake.

    Others, she said are Royal Dutch Shell 18 per cent stake;  Volta River Authority of Ghana 16.3 per cent and Societe Togolaise de Gas(So ToGas- 2 per cent. She said the shareholders were motivated by the desire to make gas available for users in the sub-region and to also get returns on their investments.

    WAPCo is transporting 70million standard cubit feet of gas per day (scfd) to its customers in sub-region.

    The firm’s Chief Executive Officer, Walter Perez, attributed the feat to the drop in pipeline vandalism.

    Perez said there has been stability in product supply, as pipeline vandalism dropped significantly.

    He said the company is on the verge of meeting the demands of its customers, as it now transports 70million standard cubit feet per day of gas (scfd).

     

  • WAPCo’s gas supply dips by 50% as demand falls

    Reduced demand, pipeline vandalism and inadequate supply have made gas supplies by the West African Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) to drop by over 50 per  cent to 70 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) from the 150mmscf/d capacity.

    Its Managing Director, Mr. Walter Perez, disclosed this during the company’s Agenda for Vendors Forum with its contractors and customers in Lagos. The firm transports 70mmscf/d to its customers.

    He said the sub-regional gas transporting firm has the capacity to transport about 150mmscf/d, but noted that it could only transports 70mmscf/d being the total order placed by its customers. “However, if the request increases, we will transport more,” he added.

    Perez said: “We have the capacity to transport over 150mmscf/d, but what we carry depends on our customers. Vandalism of pipelines had also affected the volume of gas transported before but lately, the volume had come back to normal.

    “Debt is an issue too. We are having debt challenges from some of our customers but the company is working with countries involved to resolve it.

    “Also, there are challenges of non-availability of gas, and during such periods, our customers used to look for alternatives, but our suppliers now have more than enough.”

    The WAPCo chief said the forum was held to enable the company interact with its service providers. “We do this across countries that we operate in. We have done one in Ghana early this year. We will soon hold another one in Togo and Benin. It is to create a safety environment for our vendors and let them know how we operate,” he added.

    WAPCo is a limited liability company that owns and operates the West African Gas Pipeline. It has its headquarters in Accra, Ghana, with an office in Badagry, Nigeria, and field offices in Cotonou, Benin, Lome, Togo, Tema and Takoradi, both in Ghana.

    The company is a joint venture between public and private sector companies from Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana. It is owned by Chevron West African Gas Pipeline Limited (36.7 per cent), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) (25 per cent), Shell Overseas Holdings Limited (18 per cent), and Takoradi Power Company Limited (16.3 per cent), SocieteTogolaise de Gaz (two per cent) and SocieteBenGaz S.A. (two per cent).

  • Funding threatens West Africa gas pipeline project

    Funding threatens West Africa gas pipeline project

    The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) yesterday expressed concern over the financial situation of the project which they lamented may stall the implementation of the project.

    Nigeria, through state-run oil firm, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),  owns 24.9 per cent stake in the sub-regional project, making it the second largest shareholder, after Chevron West African Gas Pipeline Limited, which owns 36.9 per cent shares.

    The Managing Director of WAPCo, Mr. Walt Perez, who spoke in Abuja during the opening ceremony of the Committee of Ministers of the WAGP Project, said the firm faced significant risks because of its financial health engendered by low gas volumes, huge indebtedness totaling about $179 million and dwindling cash flows.

    He noted that although WAGP had sometimes been technically capable of transporting volumes of natural gas up to contractual levels, many receipts remained below contracted levels and were putting the commercial viability of the project in doubt.

    He added that the problem with low gas volumes was exacerbated by the force majeure declared in 2013 and which still remains in force today, adding that as long as the direct and indirect effects of low volumes and force majeure persisted, WAPCo’s business planning and immediate prospect for growth in the foreseeable future would remain a mere wishful thinking, unless conditions change.

    He further lamented the huge debts owed the company and its disturbing cash flow situation, stating that since August 2014, WAPCo had not been receiving full and consistent payments for gas delivery from its biggest customer, the Volta River Authority (VRA).

    This, Perez said, had led to a huge backlog of unpaid invoices, totaling $104 million that is due to WAPCo’s account, plus an additional $75 million to N-Gas.

    He said: “The company initially appears to be resilient in the face of drastically reduced revenue flows because gas transmission and other operational activities continue. The reality, however, is that WAPCo has been floundering. In fact, we have been conserving cash in order to prolong our time and operations, and as a result, WAPCo is now operating under extreme austere conditions.

    “Under current condition, WAPCo is unable to service its debt; no longer undertaking critical maintenance schedules with the much reduced capacity to pursue growth of any kind at this time.”

    He called for the support of the Committee of Ministers to reverse the declining financial condition of WAPCo and help create the right environment for the re-emergence of WAGP as a regional tool for energy integration for which it was envisioned.

  • Nigeria to delay planned reduction of gas supply to Ghana

    Nigeria will delay a plan to drastically cut gas exports to Ghana from Friday while the two sides hold emergency talks over an outstanding debt of $181 million, the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) said.

    Ghana already faces electricity blackouts and the threat to cut supply by 70 percent could have worsened the problems and presented an extra headache for the government.

    Ghana’s Minister for Power, Kwabena Donkor, led a government delegation to Abuja that began talks on Thursday with N-Gaz, a Nigerian consortium, and other stakeholders in a bid to avert the threat, said Harriet Wereko-Brobby, WAPCo spokeswoman.

    “By next week we are expecting a way forward,” she told Reuters. “There appears to be a will by all the parties to resolve the issue without the flow of gas being cut off.”

    Power cuts have raised the cost of doing business and angered voters at a sensitive time for President John Mahama’s government ahead of what is expected to be a tough re-election battle next year.

    Mahama has vowed to end the power cuts by the start of next year and Donkor has said he would resign if the problem has not been fixed by then.

  • Lafarge WAPCO to resettle 1000 villagers in Ogun

    Lafarge WAPCO to resettle 1000 villagers in Ogun

    Cement  Giant Lafarge WAPCO has agreed to relocate no fewer than 1000 villagers from two communities- Oke – Oko and Sekoni- in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.

    Also to be relocated are a number of deities – community and household gods-worshipped by the villagers.

    The two communities were found to be sitting on limestone belts, a major raw material in cement production.

    The affected people would be re -settled on  60 acres of land – referred to as new Oke-Oko, Sekoni.

    This followed many years of complaints and request by the villagers that mining and blasting of the mineral deposit exposed them to grave health hazards, including environmental degradation and harm to their farm crops.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the  housing facilities at the new site at the weekend, the Managing Director, Lafarge Africa (WAPCO Operations), Adepeju Adebajo, said the relocation of the “people and their deities” was an initiative of the company’s  management to  protect them from mining hazards.

    Adebajo, who was represented by the Manager, Ewekoro Plant, Thierry Terriere, said the facilities would house 1000 people.

    He said: “It is our hope that when completed soon, the newly-relocated Oke-Oko, Sekoni would be our modest contribution to the much-sought-after societal advancement.

    “Needful to state, however, that the huge resources being committed to this special project is in addition to the yearly developmental initiatives we carry out in Ewekoro Local Government, which include bursary awards and training of youths.”

    The traditional ruler (Baale), Chief Mukaila Oginsola, lauded the initiative, saying it would save the villagers from mining hazards.

    He said: “We fought them for this project and they are giving us what we asked of them. This is very good and Lafarge should be commended.”

  • If the situation is as painted above…nobody will be left in the factory as employees, says LafargeWAPCO

    If the situation is as painted above…nobody will be left in the factory as employees, says LafargeWAPCO

    REACTING to claims by residents of his company’s host communities that most of them have developed health problems, including asthma, due to the inhalation of cement dust discharged by LafargeWAPCO into their community, Ade Ojolowo, Corporate Communications Manager (CCM) of the company, states: “We have employees in hundreds working in the factory, and many are still applying. Many of our staff have been living within our operations for ages. If the situation is as painted above, you will agree with me that nobody will be left in the factory as employees. Such complaints never came up in our monthly meetings with the community leaders who always look forward to the meetings.”

    In order to mitigate the effects of its business activities on its host communities, Ojolowo says: “We are not only doing certain things, but also doing those things which are of utmost priority to our host communities.  Whenever there is a challenge, we solve it together.”

    The cement company’s image maker reiterates his company’s commitment to good corporate governance claiming that LafargeWAPCO’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for its host communities is “hinged on five cardinal points, including physical infrastructure, youth empowerment, education, health, and poverty alleviation.”

    “It is widely believed that CSR programmes anchored on the afore-mentioned points are capable of engendering lasting social responsibility. Lafarge has made huge investments woven around these activities in its behaviour as a good corporate citizen to its host communities.  Our track records speak volume, and viewing it from that perspective, Lafarge’s CSR can be rated very high,” he argues.

    In its recent annual CSR report, the company makes a series of declarations in order to substantiate its claims to sterling a CSR culture. “In order to help combat local youth unemployment, Lafarge Nigeria has launched a number of educational and vocational training initiatives within the communities around its sites.”

    The first of these is an 18-month training course at its Ewekoro plant to train local youths in automation, electrical and mechanical jobs. Classes are given by lecturers from higher education institutions and a pool of ex-LafargeWAPCO staff. Apprentices receive monthly stipends and graduates obtain a diploma attesting to their successful completion of the course, the company claims.

    “Our teams in Nigeria are also working to promote basic education among children living in the communities surrounding our plants. In the last two years, we have renovated 40 classrooms, donated science laboratory equipment to 18 schools and provided 450,000 exercise books for local children. Employees across the country contributed around 2,000 volunteering hours in 2013, in projects related to skills training, education, health and safety and local job creation. Our teams are also supporting the enhancement of literacy in students through a mobile reading workshop, the Books on Wheels programme,” Ojolowo said.

    And in recognition of these initiatives, LafargeWAPCO has received three awards at the Nigeria Social Enterprise Reporting Awards in 2013, including the 2013 Most Socially Responsible Company in Nigeria award.