UK, Turkey, Portugal back NLNG Train 7 expansion plans

The United Kingdom, Turkey and Portugal have expressed support for the expansion programmes of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) company.

NLNG, which is a private limited liability company owned by the Federal Government, represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with 49 per cent stake; Shell (25.6 per cent); Total (15 per cent) and Eni (10.4 per cent), last month announced that it was shopping for $7bn to expand its operations.

The expansion project will see to the construction of an extra gas processing train called Train 7 and investment in upstream gas that will ensure sustainable feed gas supply to its existing Trains 1 to 6.

Speaking a diplomatic the NLNG during visit to plant at Bonny Island, Rivers State, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright; Ambassador of Turkey, Melih Ulueren and Portugal’s António Da Silva said they were excited about the prospects of the Train 7.

Arkwright said, “I am excited by the prospects of expansion in terms of Train 7. I know this has been quite a long time in the process and perhaps we can talk about some of the complexities of that (later).

“From the UK perspective, it is exciting news,” he said.

He said the benefits of the expansion to the country were huge, adding that the NLNG is a great example of a Nigerian company with British and international involvement that is really benefiting Nigeria.

The NLNG is due to take Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Train 7 later this year or next.

“I am happy decision will be that taken soon so that even more people can be employed here in the construction phase,” Arkwright also said.

On his part, Ulueren said while Nigeria is currently the second biggest LNG supplier to Turkey after Algeria, he would do his utmost best to improve the business relations with BOTA, Turkey’s state-owned natural gas company which is one of NLNG’s pioneer buyers.

António Da Silva, the Portuguese Ambassador to Nigeria also expressed excitement about the Train 7 expansion target adding that, “Galp as a company would like to work hand in hand with you.”

Galp a publiclyheld, Portuguesebased energy company, with an international presence.

The Managing Director/CEO, NLNG, Tony Attah, said it was a great privilege to have three ambassadors visiting the plant in one occasion. is