From Yahaya Umar in Lagos
Chief Executive ,CCE, of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission ,NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, has revealed that the Commission has gazette 21 key regulations since the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, with more at various stages of development.
Speaking on Monday at the Society of Petroleum Engineers ,SPE, Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition ,NAICE, in Lagos, Komolafe said the regulations are designed to enhance clarity for investors, streamline administration, and align upstream operations with national and global priorities.
He listed some of the critical regulations to include the Upstream Petroleum Measurement Regulations, which promote transparency and accountability in production data management, and the Gas Flaring, Venting and Methane Emissions Regulations, aimed at tackling emissions and promoting decarbonisation.
Others are the Host Community Development Regulations, which improve social inclusion and participation; the Domestic Gas Delivery Obligation Regulations, which strengthen local energy access and supply chain resilience; the Upstream Petroleum Safety Regulations, which ensure workforce protection; and the Decommissioning and Abandonment Regulations, which provide clear standards for safe end-of-life asset management.
“Since the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 (PIA), the Commission has so far gazette twenty-one (21) key regulations, with others at various phases of development. These regulations provide the clarity required to support investment, streamline administration, and align upstream operations with national and global priorities”, Komolafe said.
According to him, the Commission has also embraced technology to enhance regulatory service delivery and improve turnaround time while entrenching transparency and accountability in its operations.
“At the Commission, we are promoting technology adaptation and sanctioning novel technologies in all areas of E&P – from traditional operations to innovative approaches for decarbonisation and emission reduction.
“By the same token, the NUPRC has embraced technology in its regulatory operations to enhance service delivery, improve turnaround time and rejig its business process. These are not just technical upgrades; they are part of our broader effort to entrench transparency, promote accountability and reduce costs – all geared towards enabling industry growth and vitality”, he said.
On upstream operations, Komolafe noted that NUPRC is pursuing initiatives such as the Cluster Development Strategy for shallow and deepwater assets and the Project 1 MMBOPD Incremental Initiative, which recently pushed peak production to 1.8 million barrels per day, with an average of 1.78 million barrels per day.
He further disclosed that the Commission has developed an Upstream Oil and Gas Decarbonisation and Sustainability Blueprint, anchored on seven critical pillars, to future-proof the industry and position it for investment attractiveness, sustained funding, and global competitiveness.
“The NUPRC is implementing the Upstream Oil & Gas Decarbonisation & Sustainability Blueprint anchored on seven (7) critical pillars to signal direction for the industry sustainability. Our approach is to future-proof the upstream sector and position it for investment attractiveness, sustained funding, and global competitiveness.
“We call on all Operators to collaborate with us as we incorporate decarbonisation measures in Field Development, Facility Engineering, and Production Operations to accrue the afore-mentioned benefits”, he added.
Komolafe told industry stakeholders to acknowledge that building a sustainable energy future would demand trade-offs, innovation, and coordinated effort, stressing that conversations at the conference should be followed by action.
The conference with the theme, “Building a Sustainable Energy Future: Leveraging Technology, Supply Chain, Human Resources and Policy”, will end tomorrow.
