Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) have executed the second and final phase of an Alternative Financing Agreement.

A statement signed by NNPC's Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr Ndu Ughamadu on Sunday in Abuja stated that the agreement was signed in London over the weekend.

He said that the corporation's Group Managing Director Dr Maikanti Baru signed the agreement, which would help to increase crude oil production in the country by about 39,000 barrels per day.

Baru said the agreement was also expected to achieve an incremental peak production of about 283 millions standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas.

He added that the increment to be achieved by the agreement would spread “over the remaining life of the asset (until 2045).”

According to him, the project, which is about 92 per cent completed, would cost about US$41.7 billion, with US$780 million expected to be funded by third-party.

He added that it would produce natural gas liquids and condensate extracted from the Sonam and Okan fields located in Oil Mining Licence (OML) 90 and 91 in the Niger Delta region.

Baru described the deal as a step in the right direction, which would grow the nation’s daily production and support the Federal Government’s strategic domestic gas-to-power aspirations, while aligning with NNPC’s 12 Business Focus Areas.

He said the project would also include the completion of the Sonam non-associated gas well platform and Sonam living quarters platform; drilling of seven wells in the Sonam field and the Okan 30E NAG well; as well as the completion of the 20“ x 32km Sonam pipeline and Okan pig receiver platform and development of the associated facilities.

“As we speak now, the facilities are 100 percent completed, while wells are 40 percent executed,” Baru said.

In carrying out the project, the NNPC/CNL JV adopted a two-staged financing approach.

“While Stage 1, which provided US$400 million sourced from Nigerian commercial banks achieved financial close on August 1, 2017, Stage 2 (signed on Sunday) is set to provide US$380 million from international commercial banks.

“Out of the US$780 million total financing for both stages, Chevron’s co-lending totals US$312 million, while NNPC’s portion of the total facility stands at US$468 million,’’ he said .

Speaking further on the Alternative Financing approach, the GMD explained that it was aimed at plugging NNPC’s shortfall in funding JV cash call obligations, including settlement of pre-2016 cash call arrears.

"It will also enable full-funding of NNPC’s JV obligations to restore investors’ confidence and stimulate further Foreign Direct Investments as we are beginning to witness," he noted.

Earlier in his remarks, the Managing Director of CNL, Mr. Jeff Ewing said that his company supported the Federal Government’s aspirations to sustain oil and gas production.

“We know the important role gas supply to the domestic market plays in growing power generation. We also understand government’s need to seek alternative sources to fund profitable and bankable JV Projects,” Ewing added.

He commended Baru and other partners for backing the third party financing arrangement, which, he said, would lessen cash call burden on the federation account.

He expressed Chevron’s commitment to execute the programme safely, timely and deliver its expected values for all stakeholders.

In August this year, two sets of alternative financing agreements on JV projects were executed between the NNPC/CNL JV (Project Falcon) and the NNPC/SPDC JV (Project Santolina).

Both are aimed at boosting reserves and production in line with parts of the Federal Government’s aspirations for the oil and gas industry. (NAN)

•GMD NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru and MD, Chevron Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Jeff Ewing, displaying the signed Alternative Financing Agreement to fund the Phase II of the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture, also known as Project Falcon, in London, at the weekend.