The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it will resume crude oil search in the Chad basin immediately it gets clearance from security agencies in the country.

The Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, made the disclosure during a courtesy visit on him by Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed in Abuja, on Wednesday.

He insisted that the prospect of finding oil in the Chad Basin was high.

“We will go back there as soon as we receive security clearance. There seems to be some prospects there because Niger Republic drilled over 600 wells and now they are producing while we have only drilled 23 wells,” he said.

Baru commended the people of Bauchi and Gombe States, especially communities in the exploration area for their support and hospitality, while assuring them of NNPC’s support in the provision of infrastructure and amenities.

He pledged the support of NNPC on the proposed Institute of Petroleum Studies to be established in Bauchi State University.

He also assured the governor of synergy between the institution and the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Warri, for exchange programmes and manpower development.

The NNPC boss said oil search in the Chad Basin was suspended after a team of its Frontier Exploration Services and their consultants from the University of Maiduguri were attacked and some of them abducted on July 25, 2017.

In his remarks, Mohammed said his visit was to seek collaboration with the corporation on how to move the state forward.

“We are happy that we have some hydrocarbon not only in Bauchi but also in Gombe both in the Gongola Basin, and we are totally committed to the exploration activities of the NNPC in the area,” he said. (NAN)