Recently, the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited ( WAPCo ) held a media engagement in Nigeria to provide details regarding the ongoing major maintenance activities on the offshore section of its pipeline stretching from Badagry Nigeria to Aboadze in Ghana.
According to Dr.Isaac Doku, General Manager, Public Affairs, WAPCo, the purpose of the briefing was to promote public understanding of the activities, ensure transparency, answer any questions from the media, and provide accurate information on how the activities will affect gas transportation services and measures in place to ensure safe and timely execution of the project. It was also to provide the media the opportunity to witness the preparation for and the launch of the first Pipeline Inspection Guage (PIG).
Key Messages:
- The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), owner and operator of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), has begun cleaning and inspecting the offshore pipeline and has installed the necessary equipment, including an effluent management system for the project.
- The exercise to clean and inspect the pipeline started on February 5th and is scheduled to be completed on March 2, 2025.
According to West African Gas Pipeline Authority regulations, WAPCo is required to clean and inspect the pipeline every five years. The company last cleaned and inspected the pipeline about five years ago. The West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA), based in Abuja, is WAPCo’s regulator.
- Scheduled Maintenance Timeline:
The company began its major maintenance activities on February 5, 2025, and is expected to be completed by March 2, 2025. During this period, the following services will be temporarily suspended.
There is going to be reverse flow transportation of natural gas from Ghana’s Western Region to Tema in the east.
Is WAPCo suspending all services during that period? NO.
An average of about 85,000MMSCF/d of gas required to push the Pipeline Inspection Guage (PIG) from Nigeria to Takoradi will be transported. Meaning WAPCo will be transporting gas to Takoradi.
- Safety and Efficiency Focus:
The maintenance work will prioritize the safety of the workers and WAPCo has extensively engaged all relevant stakeholders to ensure a smooth and successful project. WAPCo’s engineering and safety teams have worked to develop a comprehensive plan to ensure all activities are completed as safely and efficiently as possible.
- Scope of Maintenance:
Activities to be undertaken during the period include:
. Cleaning the pipeline to remove debris, dirt, and liquids.
. Inspecting the internal walls of the pipeline.
. Replacing subsea valves.
. Conducting any ancillary works needed while gas transportation services are suspended
- Most of the activities will take place offshore and at two WAPCo facilities: WAPCo’s Lagos Beach Compressor Station located at Badagry, Lagos State Nigeria, and here at the Takoradi Regulating and Metering Station.
The Lagos Beach Compressor Station is where the cleaning and inspection devices, known as “PIGs” will be inserted into the pipeline. While Takoradi Regulating and Metering Station is where each “PIG” will arrive after traveling through the 569km stretch of pipeline.
Several cleaning devices “PIGs” will be introduced at the Nigeria end of the offshore pipeline at Lagos Beach Compressor Station. These will travel through the pipeline with pressure from the gas being transported to Takoradi.
When the Pipeline is sufficiently cleaned, a device known as an “intelligent pig” will be inserted into the pipeline to inspect its internal walls as it travels down to Takoradi.
After the above, ‘Divers’ will go under the sea to replace subsea valves at the intersection where the pipeline (laterals) from our facilities in Cotonou, Lomé, and Tema meet the main offshore pipeline.
Reasons for the cleaning and inspection activities:
o Regulatory
o Ensures safe reliable operations
o Aligns with industry best practices
o To confirm the condition and integrity of the pipeline
Minimal Impact on Communities:
WAPCo anticipates only a minimal disruption to the activities of host communities within the vicinity of our facilities in Badagry Nigeria and Aboadze, Ghana as most of our activities will be offshore and confined within the premises of our facilities.
Environmental Considerations:
As part of the maintenance process, WAPCo has engaged the Environmental Protection Agencies in the respective countries and has implemented a world-class effluent management system at its facility in Takoradi where the company expects to receive some liquids and debris from the cleaning of the offshore pipeline.
Stakeholder Engagement and Communication:
WAPCo is grateful to the governments of Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo for their ongoing support. Additionally, WAPCo appreciates the maritime and regulatory authorities across these four countries, as well as its customers, shippers, gas off-takers, host communities,
Shareholders, and all other relevant stakeholders for their continued collaboration and contribution to the success of this exercise.
Notable Quotes:
- “WAPCo is committed to maintaining the proactive stakeholder engagement processes established during th e project’s preparation phase, during execution. The company will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders on all matters to ensure the project’s safe execution and success,” says Auwal Ibrahim, WAPCo’s General Manager of Operations & Maintenance.
Next Steps:
- WAPCo will continue to engage relevant stakeholders during the process and provide regular updates throughout the period.