President Buhari flags-off AKK gas pipeline construction

TRACKING___President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to flag-off virtually the construction phase of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-kano, AKK, pipeline simultaneously in Ajaokuta Kogi State and Rigachikun in Kaduna State, today, Tuesday, June 30.

The Pipeline which originates from Ajaokuta, in Kogi State would traverse Abuja (FCT), Niger, Kaduna and terminate at Kano. It is expected to be fed from the existing domestic Infrastructure with a capacity of over 1.5 billion cubic feet, daily, Bcf/d and is being expanded by Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System II (ELPS II) and Obiafu-Obrikom 3 (OB3) gas pipeline (under construction) that will double the capacity to over 3 billion cubic gas per day

The proposed Ajaokuta – Abuja – Kaduna – Kano Gas Pipeline is a section of the Trans-Nigeria Gas Pipeline (“TNGP”) with a capacity to transport about 2.2 Bcf/d of gas. The right of way for the proposed AKK gas pipeline is planned to run parallel to the existing NPSC 16’’ crude oil and 12’’ product pipelines wherever possible.

The Project will also facilitate the development of three (3) base independent power plants (IPPs) in Abuja (1350MW), Kaduna (900MW) and Kano (1350MW) and steer the development of gas based industries along its corridor and beyond.

Federal Executive Council awarded the Engineering Procurement and Construction Contract (EPC) in favour of Oilserv Plc Consortium & CFHEC for lot1, while Brentex Petroleum Services and China Pipeline Bureau (Brentex-CPP) got lot2

The project is on build-and-transfer-basis (BT) with a completion period of 24 months and defect liability period of 12months.

The Scope of Work includes Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation, Testing and Commissioning of a 40” x 614km class 600# pipeline system from Ajaokuta to Kano with associated intermediate and terminal facilities to supply natural gas to off-takers at Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Zaria environs and along the environs of the pipeline route.

The right of way for the proposed AKK gas pipeline is planned to run parallel to the existing Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company’s 16 inch-crude oil and 12 inch- product pipelines wherever possible.

The AKK Project when completed offers enormous economic and social benefits to the nation. It would unlock 2.2 billion cubic feet of gas to the domestic market, support the addition of 3,600 mega watts of power to the national grid and revitalize textile industries which alone boast of over 3 million jobs in parts of the country. In addition, the AKK project will support the development of petrochemicals, fertilizer, methanol and other gas-based industries that will generate employment and facilitate balanced economic growth.

The AKK gas project is a component of the Nigerian Gas master Plan (NGMC), a gas infrastructure blueprint, which was approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2008, but which has received serious attention of the Buhari Administration. The other major domestic gas transmission systems are: The Western System, that is, the existing 36” Escravos-Lagos Pipeline I and II with 2.2billion cubic feet capacity and the On-going East-West connection via the Obiafu/Obrikom-Oben Pipeline (OB3) featuring 2.4billion cubic feet per day capacity.