An Harvard University alumnus and a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Abdullahi Hashim, has lauded the Executive Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources, Dr Muhammadu Indimi, over the successful inauguration of first funded Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel at the Drydocks World Dubai Shipyard in the United Arab Emirates.
Hashim, who is a member of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria and a fellow member, College of Diplomacy and International Relations, said the worthy initiative of Indimi was another record broken and a new record being set by an outstanding achiever of repute.
In a statement, Hashim said the enviable feat of Indimi over the vessel was second to none, adding that the venture will impact positively on the petroleum sector.
In a similar vein, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers, said Indimi was a man with a midas touch.
He said, “The successful completion and commissioning of the Okwok Field’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel/platform in Dubai is a game changer in the upstream sub-sector of Nigeria’s oil industry. This is the first FPSO entirely funded by an indigenous Nigerian company and the remarkable achievement being championed by no other person than Indimi is worthy of emulation.
“His signature and investment in the FPSO indicates the rising capacity of Nigerian firms in conceptualising and successfully executing complex projects in the nation’s upstream oil industry. It is on record that the successful building and commissioning of the FPSO marks a significant step toward enabling an indigenous oil and gas company to independently develop a marginal oil field.
“The development represents an important milestone for Nigeria and its indigenous energy sector as Indimi has shown that it is possible to effect positive change in Nigeria’s oil industry. It is instructive to note that the investment would boost economic growth, generate job opportunities for Nigerians, and ensure steady growth and development of not only the oil sector but the nation’s economy in general.”
It is important to note that the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, had recently commissioned the $315m FPSO built in Dubai by Indimi’s privately-held Nigeria- oil firm , Oriental Energy Resources Limited.
He said, “The FPSO, which has a storage capacity of one million barrels, will kick off with an initial production of 17,000 barrels per day and later increase its production capacity to 30,000 bpd.
“The vessel is expected to depart for Nigeria in Q1 2025 and commence production at the Okwok Oil Field in the first half of 2025.”
Shettima who represented President Bola Tinubu at the commissioning ceremony of the offshore asset at the Drydocks World Dubai Shipyard in Dubai, said the facility was more than just a maritime infrastructure project.
The Vice President also described the FPSO as a symbol of national ambition and a testament to the success of President Tinubu’s reforms in the oil sector.