GE Oil & Gas has commenced fabrication of subsea wellheads at its Onne facility in River State. This achievement comes at the end of four years of planning, capital investment and training of Nigerian personnel, to establish the first of its kind capability in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the President and CEO of General Electric Nigeria, Dr Lazarus Angbazo. With this development, surface wellhead systems used in drilling for oil and gas on land and offshore will now be carried out in GE’s oil and gas facility in Onne, Rivers state. Nigerian engineers have also been trained within and outside the country to operate these facilities. The new investment has resulted in a 40% increase of covered workshop area at Onne facility and additional permanent staff.
Nigeria is a competitive oil and gas market
GE Oil & Gas is continuously seeking to increase the competitiveness of the solutions for the Nigerian oil and gas industry, the domiciling of subsea wellhead fabrication will give Nigeria-based operators the opportunity to buy locally and avoid delivery related delays/save on cost while supporting the growth of the Nigerian Oil & Gas industry. Dr. Angbazo referred to the establishment of the subsea wellhead fabrication capabilities in Onne as a “true win-win proposition for the indigenous industry and the Nigerian Content agenda.”
Nearly all of the engineers and technicians that will be involved in the fabrication are indigenous Nigerians who have been trained both within and outside of the country. Only recently, GE announced that it had sent the first batch out of 15 newly recruited technicians and engineers to Brazil for training in the assembly and test of subsea equipment.
Purpose-built quayside facility
Actual manufacturing operations will begin in GE’s oil and gas facility in the upcoming months in Onne, Rivers state. Operating since 2002, this purpose-built facility is the first and only quayside facility of its caliber in Nigeria. It has an exceptional safety record, and is a cornerstone in GE's commitment to the country's oil and gas industry. With continually expanding capabilities, the site provides complete assembly, testing and lifecycle service for subsea tree systems, subsea control modules, specialty connectors and pipe. It also includes a dedicated on-site training centre and offers broad business development opportunities for local suppliers.
Adapted from press release by Cecilia Rehn