Abuja, Nigeria – Abdullahi Hashim, a Harvard University alumnus and a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, has praised Dr. Muhammadu Indimi, Executive Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources, for the successful inauguration of Nigeria’s first fully funded Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel at the Drydocks World Dubai Shipyard in the United Arab Emirates.
Hashim, who is also a member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria and a Fellow of the College of Diplomacy and International Relations, commended Indimi for his remarkable achievement. He described the launch of the Okwok Field FPSO as another record-breaking milestone in the oil and gas sector, underscoring that the project would have a lasting positive impact on Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
In a statement, Hashim highlighted that Indimi’s success in completing and commissioning the FPSO was unprecedented, noting that it further demonstrates the increasing capabilities of indigenous Nigerian companies to conceptualize and execute large-scale, complex oil and gas projects.
He stated, “This is a significant achievement for both Dr. Indimi and the Nigerian oil industry. The Okwok Field FPSO is the first of its kind, fully funded by an indigenous Nigerian company, and its completion signifies a monumental step forward for the nation’s oil sector.”
Echoing Hashim’s sentiments, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers also lauded Indimi’s efforts, calling him a “man with a Midas touch.” He added that the commissioning of the FPSO was a game-changer for Nigeria’s upstream oil industry, illustrating the growing capacity of local firms to drive innovation and manage complex oil field developments.
“This achievement is an important step towards the independent development of marginal oil fields by indigenous Nigerian companies,” he said. “It showcases the potential for indigenous firms to compete with international players in the oil and gas sector, which will help boost Nigeria’s economic growth, create jobs, and support the continued development of the nation’s energy sector.”
The new FPSO, which has a storage capacity of one million barrels, will begin operations with an initial production of 17,000 barrels per day. It is projected to ramp up to 30,000 barrels per day as production stabilizes. The vessel is set to depart for Nigeria in the first quarter of 2025, with production expected to commence at the Okwok Oil Field in the first half of the same year.
At the commissioning ceremony in Dubai, which was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, the FPSO was celebrated as more than just a maritime infrastructure project. Shettima emphasized that the $315 million facility represented a significant step forward for Nigeria’s energy sector, affirming that it would contribute to the nation’s economic growth and bolster its energy infrastructure.
“The successful completion of this FPSO reflects the growing strength and capacity of Nigerian companies to develop major energy projects independently,” Shettima said. “It marks a pivotal moment in our efforts to enhance local participation and ownership in the oil and gas sector, which is crucial for the sustainable development of our economy.”
Dr. Indimi’s achievement is viewed as a landmark event, not only for Oriental Energy Resources but also for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, which continues to make strides in fostering indigenous capacity and advancing the country’s energy self-sufficiency.
