Nigerian Government, through Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), has stated that local solutions are being worked-on to address the lingering challenges affecting the smooth operation of state-owned refineries.
The disclosure was made yesterday at the 2017/2018 PTDF yearly oil and gas research grant competition close-out seminar in Abuja. Executive Secretary of PTDF, Bello Gusau, stated sourcing of catalysts was a major challenge for the refinery.
According to him, it was discovered that the refinery is lamenting about the high cost of importing refining catalysts and its attendant effect on its overall operations.
Gusau, who stated that the research grant competition of PTDF aimed at congruent and empirical solutions to the basic challenges and problems of the country’s oil and gas sector, said the firm would concentrate efforts on domesticating the various researches churned out in the industry over the years.
Olajide Adebulehin, PTDF’s General Manager, Strategic Planning, stated the agency was sponsoring research activities in relevant fields in the oil and gas industry that would be productive and very important, as well as increase production in the petroleum industry.
According to the General Manager, about N12 million would be spent for the local aspect of research cycle, which would be for a period of two years, while the endowment, which is for about five years, would receive an average of N25 to N50 million per cycle.
“We are moving away from academic research and that is why we have assembled all the eminent academicians and former professionals in the industry. We have given the grants; they have done a lot of work and they are presenting and closing out the work for this research cycle.“In the oil and gas industry, research and development is very critical; that is what we need for the future growth of the industry.”
