Petroleum Minister Commits To Partnership With NIPetE

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, has reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to a strong partnership with the Nigerian Institution of Petroleum Engineers (NIPetE) to advance the oil and gas industry.

Lokpobiri spoke while receiving the delegation of the Nigerian Institution of Petroleum Engineers led by its National Chairman, Engineer Prisca Kanebi, in his office in Abuja, according to a statement on Saturday.

According to the statement, the National Chairman of NiPeTE during the meeting formally invited the Minister to the Institution’s 3rd annual conference at the Abuja Continental Hotel between October 31 and November 1.

She outlined NIPetE’s goals, which include fostering collaboration between industry and academia in petroleum engineering, acting as a watchdog for educational and professional practices, and encouraging major industry operators to sponsor training equipment and laboratories at universities.

Additionally, she highlighted NIPetE’s initiative to facilitate sabbaticals for academic petroleum engineers with leading Nigerian exploration and production companies, enabling them to provide fresh insights into operational challenges Kanebi also stressed the importance of domesticating codes and standards to ensure world-class operations within Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

In response, Lokpobiri reiterated the ministry’s commitment to collaborating with NIPetE in key areas, including capacity building in universities and enhancing professional practices to boost and sustain oil production in Nigeria.

He expressed concern over current low production levels and emphasized the need to leverage the expertise of NIPetE members to tackle the challenges of increasing oil output, crucial for the nation’s economic growth.

The minister acknowledged significant investments in industry capacity but noted a lack of tangible results. He called for a new approach to ensure Nigeria’s success.