The Federal Government has promised to complete the stalled Brass Liquefied Natural Gas (BLNG) project in the country.
The government is seeking new investors to revive the project, according to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.
He disclosed this during an inspection of the project site in Twon Brass, Bayelsa State on Saturday, a statement by his Senior Adviser (Media and Communications), Horatius Egua, said.
According to him, the Federal Government was eager to complete the project which was stalled 17 years ago due to some Final Investment Decision (FID) reasons, adding that it would be completed because of the manifold economic benefits it would bring to the nation.
The minister, who was joined on the project assessment by the Chairman and Managing Director of Greenville LNG, Eddy Broeke and Ritu Sahajwalla, said the government would give the project top priority because of its present policy trust in gas exploration.
He said, “You know the direction of the government as far as gas is concerned. We want to use gas as a transition fuel and also to use it to diversify our economy.
“You know that with gas you can get so many things and I have said that we can truly diversify our economy through gas.’’
He acknowledged the challenges faced in successfully executing the project in the past, noting that the government would do everything possible to encourage Greenville LNG investment in the multi-billion dollar Brass LNG.
He added: “We want this project to pull through this time and we will do everything possible to ensure that the Final Investment Decision is taken as soon as possible. Greenville LNG is a major player in this sector and we know that they are committed to ensuring that the take-off of this project is achieved. We will continue to discuss and offer the necessary incentives to get this project off the ground.’’
Olusola Bello
