Sahara Group moves to end shortage of cooking gas

MT Africa Gas and MT Sahara Gas are set to commence voyage of the newly-built Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Vessels operations that will see them berth in Houston, US, to convey their first-ever consignment of gas expected to be delivered to the West African coast from March 2017.

The synergy between both vessels’ operations is expected to actualise Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) vision to boost the availability of the commodity in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

The two vessels, Hulls 8182 and 8183 were christened “Africa Gas” and “Sahara Gas” respectively at a historic naming event in Ulsan, South Korea, are set for their maiden voyage MT Africa Gas on the lead while Sahara gas is set to follow in coming weeks.

Speaking at the inauguration of the LPG vessels in South Korea, Maikanti Kacalla Baru, group managing director of NNPC, said it was “an outstanding achievement” for Nigeria considering the fact “that the Joint Venture between NNPC and Sahara is already recording success stories within a short period having been established in 2013.”

Baru said the NNPC remained committed to ensuring uninterrupted supply of cooking gas as well as the adoption of policies to drive sustainable development across the entire energy value-chain of the nation’s oil and gas sector.

Availability of LPG, which serves as an alternative to firewood and kerosene, is safer for use, cheaper and more affordable.

The country has been plagued by insufficiency of cooking gas but with the recent unveiling of two LPG vessels, being acquisitions driven by West Africa Gas Limited, a Joint Venture (JV) of NNPC and Sahara Group, there is optimism for an increase of cooking gas.

The arrival of the vessels will also reduce the adulteration of cooking gas by organisations in a bid to meet up to demand.

The JV is run by two companies, NNPC LNG Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NNPC and Sahara Energy’s oil and gas trading arm, Ocean Bed Trading Ltd (BVI).

Working through the JV, NNPC’s LPG policy will in addition to improving supply within West African states, check the menace of deforestation in the sub region.

In the long run,  expectations are that the growing negative impact of climate change across the globe will be significantly curbed.