FG grants 42 gas flare commercialisation licences

The Commission, while announcing the outcome of the bidding exercise in a statement, said issuance of letters of award to the successful awardees was ongoing.

The successful 42 winners emerged out of the 300 companies/entities that indicated an interest in either revalidating their prequalification status as existing participants or submitting a Statement of Qualification as new participants.

In furtherance of its mandate in Section 7 (e) and Section 105 (2) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, the Commission, in the third quarter of 2022, restructured the NGFCP and re-launched the programme to align with the provisions of the PIA, as well as reflect prevailing economic and operational realities.

According to the statement, 42 successful bidders were awarded 49 Flare Sites put forward during the 2022 NGFCP Auction process.

The Commission also said that 38 of the companies/entities have been awarded 40 Flare Sites for standalone single flare site development, while four are awarded nine sites to be developed as clusters.

It, however, said ‘Reserve bidders’ status has also been accorded some companies for the corresponding flare sites in case the preferred bidders fail to meet the terms and conditions stipulated in the RFP.

According to the Commission, award letters are already being transmitted to the respective successful entities through the appropriate channels.

It noted that the significant success recorded in the NGFCP bid process; was due to a series of focused engagements with relevant stakeholders including domestic investors, international development agencies, oil and gas producers, technology providers and financial institutions during the intervening months.

Giving a background, the commission said, “The engagements by the Commission were to galvanise and sustain interest in the programme, attract investments and stimulate participation by local and foreign entities.

“In response to the Request for Qualification issued in the fourth quarter of 2022, 300 companies/entities indicated interest in either revalidating their prequalification status as existing participants or submitting Statement of Qualification as new participants.

“Following the evaluation of SOQs, a total of 139 applicants were deemed successful and awarded the Qualified Applicant status.

“Subsequently, in the first quarter of 2023, the Commission issued the Request for Proposal to enable qualified applicants to put together their respective proposals for any of the 49 flare sites on offer,” NUPRC stated.

It also noted that “Eighty-eight entities, comprising individual companies and consortiums responded to the RFP and submitted a total of 137 proposals, each containing technical, commercial and financial documentation for one or more of the 49 flare sites for either standalone or cluster development.”

The proposals were duly evaluated by the Commission and approval was secured to announce 38 companies/entities as successful bidders for 40 sites for standalone single flare site developments and four companies/entities for nine sites to be developed as clusters; while some companies were also awarded Reserve Bidders status for the corresponding flare sites in case the Preferred Bidders fail to meet the terms and conditions contained in the RFP.

At this stage, the Preferred Bidders would individually proceed to execute the Suite of Commercial Agreements with relevant parties and effect payment of the prescribed award fees to enable the grant of Permit to Access Flare Gas by the Commission.

KPMG, a global network of professional firms, has been approved to partner with the Commission in the implementation of the award to ensure a successful outcome of the gas flare-out commercialisation process.

“The Management congratulates the successful bidders and encourages them to follow through with the final stages of the programme towards becoming Permit Holders and executors of viable projects that would harness flare gas for value creation,” it said.