Dutch firm to turn flare gas to power, cooking gas in Rivers

A Dutch firm, Energy Ventures B.V, is taking action to stop gas flaring in Rivers State, Nigeria and transform the waste gas into electricity and cooking gas. The company's CEO, Herbert Okibe, revealed this during an inspection of the project site in Agbada 2, Igwuruta, a suburb of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and a visit to the headquarters of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company.

The project aims to utilize approximately 5 million standard cubic feet of gas per day that is currently being wasted through flaring. This gas will be converted into electricity or liquefied petroleum gas for distribution to consumers in nearby communities. Okibe stated that the project, being developed by Africa Gas Technology Company Limited, a Nigerian subsidiary of Energy Ventures, is a pilot for similar initiatives in Nigeria and gas-flaring areas worldwide.

The project's significance lies in the fact that gas has been flared in the area for over six decades, contributing to environmental pollution and public health issues. Nigeria is among the top seven countries globally in gas flaring. Okibe hopes that the Agbada project will showcase the technical and economic feasibility of converting flare gas into energy, potentially leading to numerous other projects not only in Nigeria but also globally.

The project, estimated to cost tens of millions of dollars, is being funded through a mix of private and public-sector investments. It has already completed its Environmental Impact Assessment and obtained regulatory approvals from relevant authorities.