SPE conference to focus on gas development

By: Ugo Amadi

Worried about the challenges facing  unlocking of the Nigeria gas sector, the Society of Petroleum Engineers {SPE} is positioned to focus on strategic mechanisms that could be adopted to fully exploit Nigeria's huge gas reserves.

This is to consolidate the recent efforts by some  oil and gas firms who has secured loan from  consortium of national and international lenders to facilitate  selling gas to the local market

Emeka Ene,  Nigerian Council Chairman, SPE,  disclosed this while announcing the forthcoming 39th edition of the Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE), which will hold from Tuesday 4th August - Thursday 6th August 2015 at the Expo Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island Lagos.

Ene said the SPE in Nigeria has been consistent through NAICE, as the leading oil and gas industry technical conference in Sub-Saharan Africa, in providing leadership in the technical and professional development of technicians, engineers and operators in our oil and gas industry even during the current downturn in activity.

According to him, the theme for this year's conference is "Natural Gas Development and Exploitation in an Emerging Economy - Strategies, Infrastructure and Policy Framework". The main focus of the theme is "Sustainability, Infrastructure and Framework in an emerging economy" with a focus on natural gas development and exploitation.

The 2015 NAICE, which features several panel sessions; youth workshop and women development programme, would provide unparalleled world-class opportunities for knowledge sharing, capacity building, networking and marketing of products and technology.

Expected speakers at NAICE are; the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo; Executive Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode; Group Managing Director Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Joseph Thlama Dawha; Vice President, Strategy & Portfolio Development and Production, North America, Statoil, Helge Hove Haldorsen; Chief Executive Officer, Total Exploration & Production, Nigeria, Mrs. Elisabeth Proust; and Chairman and Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Clay Neff Jr, among others