Shell, Schlumberger, Others Invest $1bn in Snake Island Integrated Free Zone

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Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO), Schlumberger, Globestar, Atlantic Aviation and 19 other enterprises operating within the Snake Island Integrated Free Zone (SIIFZ) in Lagos have made a total investment of about $1billion in the zone.

Speaking during the weekend when the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga visited the Snake Island facilities of Nigerdock, the Chairman of Jagal Group, owners of Nigerdock, Mr. Anwar Jarmakani stated that in the last three years, SIIFZ has attracted direct investment to the tune of over $230million.

Jarmakani noted that Nigerdock has commenced discussions with eleven other entities that plan to come into the zone, adding that these entities possess the latest state-of-the-art technologies, with expertise in various aspects of integrated deepwater oil and gas services.

He said SIIFZ was primarily promoted as an integrated deepwater oil and gas service and support location capable of attracting and combining the engineering and component manufacturers, as well as service companies, into one interconnected environment.

“The aim is to bring together in one location, a myriad of facilities and companies that can help achieve the vision of increasing Nigerian content in the oil and gas sector. A further goal of SIIFZ is to serve as a major hub for improving capacity and capabilities within the country to world class standards. The ultimate vision which is what is captured in our DISC concept is to establish global competitiveness and ensure that Nigeria becomes a major source of supply across West Africa,” he explained.

He stated that despite daunting and enormous challenges, SIIFZ is consistently achieving its goals.
According to him, SIIFZ has developed a world class shipyard and for the first time attracted non-Nigerian vessels into its quays for services including carrying out technical repairs and maintenance works not previously done in Nigeria.

Jarmakani said the zone had also built highly complex and technical components for deepwater field developments, including four largest deepwater SPM Buoys for Shell’s Bonga, Chevron’s Agbami, ExxonMobil’s Erha and Total’s Akpo.

The Nigerdock boss also disclosed that SIIFZ is the foremost manufacturer of Pressure Vessels in Africa, and the only company in West Africa to be awarded the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) U & R Stamp of Certification;

The integrated zone, according to him, has also developed the largest specialised training school with the highest level of certification in the industry providing training courses to NNPC, Mobil, Shell and others.

“All of our training is to world class standards in an effort to build much needed capacity in the country. We have trained to certification not less than 1,460 Nigerians. This is verifiable. This is aside from those who have gained hands on experience as a result of being exposed to the latest state of the art technologies in the ordinary course of their employment within the Free Zone,” he added.

Credit : THISDAY NEWS