The Vice Chancellor of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Prof. Muhammad Nasiru Maiturare, has expressed optimism on the prospect of oil and gas in the Bida and Sokoto basins, based on exploratory research studies carried out in the two basins by universities.
Maiturare said at the opening ceremony of a one-day retreat for stakeholders on the research work at the university’s auditorium Lapai, that earlier research studies had indicted the presence potential for oil and gas deposits bearing sample, and this research validated the earlier work.
He commended the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation for selecting the university to undertake work on the two basins, which resulted in the geological mapping of the two basins to aid further research work on the field.
He however refused to comment further on the critical findings of two milestones reports submitted to the NNPC owing to the bond of confidentiality agreed upon by both parties.
According to him: “Only the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation can release the results of the research findings and determine the next line of action, after the third milestone report is submitted to it.
“We are ready for further research work on the two basins with the NNPC Exploration Frontier Agency as we have the expertise and equipment to carry out such studies research work.”
Meanwhile, the Technical Team leader and university’s Director of Research, Prof. Nuhu Obaje, called for optimal usage of gas as energy source at both home, offices, factories and in the transport sector.
Obaje told the stakeholders that the country had been termed as a gas region as its hydrocarbon deposits consist of 70 per cent gas and 30 per cent oil, but sadly gas has been grossly under-utilised to the detriment Nigeria’s economy and the environment.
He commended the geologists from the Federal University of Technology in Minna and Usman Dan Fodio University in Sokoto for partnering with IBBUL on the detailed geological mapping of the two basins.