The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited has keyed into the Federal Government’s goal of using the country’s proven gas reserves to increase economic activities for gas-based industrialisation of the country.

SPDC’s Managing Director and Country Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor, said this while speaking at the Nigerian Gas Association’s 12th International Conference and Awards, which was held virtually on February 25 under the theme, “Powering Forward: Enabling Nigeria’s Industrialisation via Gas.”

A statement on Sunday by the Media Relations Manager, SPDC, Bamidele Odugbesan, quoted Okunbor as saying that Shell’s support was demonstrated in the oil firm’s multi-billion dollar investment in four of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s ‘Seven Critical Gas Development Projects.’

He said Shell had invested in the Assa North Gas Project; Four Unitised Gas Fields; Brass Fertiliser Company; and the Cluster Development of Okpokunou/Tuomo West (OML 35/62) to support the government’s drive for national development.

He commended the government’s recent progress in gas development and stated support for NNPC’s aspiration to grow domestic gas usage in Nigeria to five billion cubic feet of gas per day from its current 1.7 billion cubic feet of gas per day by 2022.

Okunbor said, “Nigeria has launched out on a few audacious and, frankly, great projects to essentially drive our ambition as a country in this regard.

“Let’s find a way to make sure that we stay the course and begin to put our efforts in a consistent manner towards downstream where our country can get ultimate benefit for gas.”

He called for robust engagement in discussions for an agreeable price framework in order to attract investments in the country’s rich gas sector.