Senate panel asks NUPRC to present presidential approval for Atala oilfield reallocation

The senate committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions has asked the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to present a written presidential directive on the reallocation of the Atala marginal oilfield. 

The oilfield, formerly owned by the Bayelsa state government, had been allegedly reallocated to Halkin Exploration and Production Company Limited. 

Ayo Akinyelure, chairman of the committee, made this known at the weekend in Abuja.

“NUPRC which is now the new regulatory agency that you represent here is not expected to take a side on the disputed oil field,” Akinyelure said. 

“Since DPR is inherited by NUPRC, the new agency must furnish this committee with a written directive from President Buhari, upon which award of the Atala Oil Field was made to Halkin E and P and not previous operators as clearly stated in the presidential directive quashing the revocation.

“Perhaps, in running away from the fact and getting away with the oil field award, Halkin stopped appearing before this committee after previous appearances by resorting to litigation in the court of law.

“What this committee wants from NUPRC, being the inheritor of DPR, is written presidential directive on the Oil Field award to Halkin E&P and nothing more.”

In April 2020, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), now NUPRC, announced the revocation of 11 of the 13 marginal oilfields licences issued to indigenous oil companies — including the Atala oilfield.

The upstream regulatory had said the decision was due to the “inability of the operators to bring the fields to production”.

Atala oilfield, oil mining lease (OML) 46, was granted its first licence in 2003.

In June 2021, the federal government granted approval for the handing over of the oilfield to Halkin E&P.