NUPRC Warns Flare Gas Awardees of Permit Revocation

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) announced that awardees of flare gas sites risk losing their permits if they fail to utilize them. This warning was issued by the Commission Chief Executive, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, during a meeting with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Eyesan explained that the NUPRC evaluates progress one year after an award is granted, and insufficient progress could lead to regulatory actions, including permit revocation. Out of 43 identified flare gas sites, 27 have been awarded, with implementation efforts ongoing.

Nigeria possesses over 215 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, which are crucial for power generation and economic development. Additionally, Eyesan discussed the Host Community Development Trust framework introduced by the Petroleum Industry Act, which has led to the incorporation of 173 trusts and the funding of 147, resulting in over 1,001 ongoing projects and more than 200 successfully commissioned projects in host communities.

Minister Ekpo emphasized the need for aggressive implementation of the gas commercialization program to eliminate routine gas flaring by 2030.