NNPC to keep searching for oil in northern Nigeria despite spending $3bn with no success

NIGERIA National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) managing director Maikanti Baru has revealed that oil drilling will continue across the north of the country despite recent reports showing that so far, all efforts have been futile.

Since 1999, the NNPC has been prospecting for oil in Bauchi State and has already drilled 10,075 ft at the Kolmani River II Well but with little success. Despite nothing being discovered so far, Mr Baru said President Muhammadu Buhari has personally urged the corporation to go back to exploration on the Kolmani River II Well.

Northeast Nigeria is within the Lake Chad Basin and neighbouring countries that share the area including Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic have all discovered oil on their sides of the border. However, nothing has been found on the Nigerian side of the basin but Mr Baru said the search will continue and the government will not be deterred despite the fact that so far $3bn has been invested in the project with no success.

Speaking at the Kaduna International Trade Fair, Mr Baru said continuing with the exploration will enable the NNPC do a massive appraisal of the discovery of gas reserves made in the region in 1999. He added that  the corporation was working on the Kolmani River II with optimism and high expectation.

Stakeholders remain divided about the wisdom in the continued search for hydrocarbon resources in the north, especially as $3bn has already been sunk without making a commercial find. While those in favour of the search disregard the economic waste but are encouraged by the success of oil finds in neighbouring countries, geologists who are mindful of the soil composition of hydrocarbon reserves, think it is an effort in futility.

Experts noted that nature has blessed each region of Nigeria with peculiar resources and while the south is enriched with hydrocarbons, the north is blessed with solid minerals and solid minerals and hydrocarbons cannot co-exist. Industry experts said the persistent push by some northern leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari, points to an underlining reason, which is far from being of economic benefit to the country.