Egina is a Technology Game Changer …Total MD
-By Fred Ojiegbe
The Managing Director of Total Exploration and Production Limited, Mike Sangster has described the Egina Floating Production Storage Offloading, FPSO, as an unprecedented technology game-changer in Nigeria’s oil industry.
Speaking at the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit, NIPS, which was held recently in Abuja, Sangster stated that Total Plc is focussed on digital technologies to improve efficiency and reduce cost in oil production. He said, “Egina is a game-changer in terms of technology transfer and local content with over 46 million man-hours worked in Nigeria, including 6 FPSO topside modules being built and integrated in Nigeria, a first for Africa. As we look forward, Total is actively pursuing digital technologies and here in Nigeria we have launched a Digital Transformation Project to improve our efficiency and reduce our costs by leveraging our experience in artificial intelligence, the internet of things, big data and machine learning.
“With our presence in 130 countries around the world, we are able to bring to Nigeria our experience and technical capabilities.” He also explained that partnership and collaboration are needed to achieve maximum results in the industry. “Total is proud to have been a reliable partner to Nigeria for over 60 years and actively involved in downstream, midstream and upstream sectors. Total has 577 petrol service stations spread across the whole country, thus meeting the energy needs of millions of Nigerians. In midstream, we are a shareholder in NLNG, where the company has recently taken FID on Train 7. In upstream, we have significantly increased our production with the start-up of the deepwater Egina field with a production capacity of 200,000 barrels daily.
“In addition to reducing the carbon emissions from our oil and gas activities, we are also investing in solar projects in Nigeria. “Along with NNPC and our other partners, we have a robust Corporate Social Responsibility portfolio that includes youth empowerment; health care delivery, education, sports, and infrastructure development in communities across the length and breadth of Nigeria. Our annual spending on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is in excess of 40 million USD. Typically, last November, we commissioned various projects in all parts of the country, and especially in the North East to alleviate some of the deprivations caused by insurgency in that part of the country. “Total has demonstrated its commitment to Nigeria with significant investments over recent years on our Joint Venture (JV) assets (OML58 Upgrade and Ofon Phase 2 in particular) in addition to the much acknowledged Egina. We are keen to continue to invest in Nigeria and to contribute constructively to the ongoing debate about the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). “We welcome the efforts being made by the authorities to define a long term framework for the Oil and Gas Industry that provides clarity and certainty, provides competitive terms and a win/win solution for the country and investors. We support the desire of the Honourable Minister to modernise Petroleum Legislation, and welcome the opportunity to engage with the authorities. A progressive PIB could be the catalyst needed for a new wave of investment in Nigeria instead of other countries and hence contribute to the sustainability of the Oil and Gas Industry.
