Nigeria’s foremost indigenous energy company Seplat Energy Plc has been lauded by the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for its sustainability commitments, especially in the execution of its Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programmes and interventions in host communities.
Governor Oborevwori assured the energy company of the state’s continued support and partnership, whilst guaranteeing a peaceful and favourable environment for its operations.
Governor Oborevwori gave the assurance on Tuesday when he received the management team of Seplat Energy, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Roger Brown, at Government House, Asaba.
He praised the company’s approach to community relations, particularly its empowerment programmes, education support, and healthcare interventions, describing them as key to maintaining peace in oil-producing areas.
In his remarks earlier, the CEO Seplat Energy Plc, Mr. Roger Brown said the company has been in Delta State for 15 years, noting that the State remained strategic to Seplat Energy’s growth.
According to him, the company is committed to operational excellence, sustainability, and lasting partnerships with host communities; and today, is one of the largest gas players in the country with almost 2.5 BCF of gas processing capacity (with 3 on-shore gas plants and 2 offshore gas processing units).
He added: “We expect to reach 850mmscfd gas on-shore going to the domestic market. Daily we account for 25 to 30 per cent of gas to power. In Delta State, our major fields include Amukpe, Oben, Okporhuru, Ovhor, Sapele, Sapele Shallow and half of Orogho.
“Seplat recently completed a new 90MMscfd gas plant in Sapele. We are in the process of finalizing an LPG unit targeted at the local market and we have taken the decision to put a CNG unit at Sapele (a first for Seplat) which will be ready towards the end of next year. This fits perfectly with the Federal Government’s drive for widespread LPG and CNG usage.”
According to Mr. Brown, Seplat Energy remains a major employer and investor in Delta State, with a strong focus on local recruitment and workforce development, of which 27 per cent of our full time employees are from Delta State.
“The company sustains thousands of direct and indirect jobs, creates local contracting opportunities (including ringfencing contracts for community Vendors), and supports the local economy through significant tax and royalty contributions. Our commitment to local content is firm and we have recorded about N500bn in contract value to local vendors over the past 10 years,” he noted.
The Seplat Energy CEO said in Delta State, the company has 78 communities; 11 oil and gas producing, 21 pipeline communities while others are access road and nearby communities.
On the company’s educational intervention programmes, he said three Steam labs have already been commissioned with two more to be unveiled this year; ₦350 million in scholarships in last decade, annual PEARLS Quiz competitions already impacting more than 10,000 schools and 50,000 students in Delta State and beyond.