Nigerian oil and gas service companies and manufacturing firms should strive to meet the standards set by the international oil companies so they would get patronised, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote has advised.
He gave the counsel recently when he visited Tranos Nigeria Limited in Lagos in company of some management of NCDMB and senior representatives of select oil and gas companies.
He stressed that despite government’s drive for Nigerian Content, the oil and gas industry will not compromise quality, hence the need for local firms to meet the required standards, so they can be added to the operating companies’ approved vendors lists. He also charged international operating companies to support local companies in their quest to meet their standards and specifications.
The Executive Secretary noted that several Nigerian companies were investing and setting up servicing and manufacturing facilities and assured that the Federal Government would ensure that they get patronised by the industry so they can employ more Nigerians. He added that ”for every one person employed, 10 lives are affected by association. We have to build our manufacturing base alongside agriculture because they are the major employers of labour.”
He commended Tranos for its investments, noting that the size of the facility was bigger than many foreign yards that produce components imported for the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
Earlier in his presentation, the Managing Director of Tranos, Mr. Jude Abalaka said the company manufactures cable trays and ladders that can be used both onshore and offshore in the oil and gas industry and they meet international standards. He added that the company manufactures various generator canopies, enclosures that can be utilised for various electrical power purposes, including as cover for mechanical and rotating equipment and cabinet for various electrical and telecommunication equipment. He also stated that the company produces various skids and modules for onshore and offshore oil and gas applications.
The company’s products line also includes switches and sockets, engineering and fabrication as well as maintenance of oil and gas facilities, he added.
On the company’s growth plans, Abalaka said Tranos was currently expanding its capacity for manufacturing cable trays and ladders and it will grow from the current capacity of 200m per day to 7200m per day, with the target market being the demand from greenfield and brownfield oil and gas projects as well as demand in the industrial sector.” He projected that the facility will start production in September 2020 and will meet all the cable tray and ladder needs of Nigeria, with the possibility of exporting to other African countries.
On gaskets, Abalaka stated that no Nigeria company was manufacturing locally despite it being a major requirement in the oil and gas and petrochemical industries. For this reason he said, “we have started placing orders for gasket manufacturing equipment and we will begin the local manufacture of semi-metallic spiral wound and soft cut gaskets in February/March 2010.”
The Managing Director solicited for the Board’s support ”for the procurement of Tranos’ products for upcoming oil and gas projects, not limited to BSWA, NLNG Train 7, Ikike Project, Ibot WH Project and other EPCI projects.” He also sought assistance with products qualification, certifications and acceptance into approved vendors’ lists of operating companies and inclusion in the NCDMB’s research and development initiatives on the basis of its proven capacity to innovate creative productions in-country.
