Having done well in its onshore operations, the West African Ventures (WAV) Nigeria Limited has been challenged to consider moving into offshore operations.
Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Felix Omatsola Ogbe, who threw the challenge acknowledged the advanced capabilities and proven track record of the indigenous oil and gas service company, said the firm needed to explore the deepwater segment of oil and gas operations.
Speaking during a facility tour of the company’s yad in Onne, Rivers State, Ogbe recalled that he awarded the company their first offshore pipe-laying contract when he (Ogbe) served as the Construction Manager with Chevron Nigeria Limited, recalling that the execution of the project was very satisfactory.
“You have worked hard; you are a very good company,” he declared, adding that what he had seen during the tour were an eye-opener, indicative of the current capabilities of the company, which he described as impressive.
“You have a [50mm] rolling mill; you have ocean-going vessels; apart from that you have a good yard to do fabrication, good load-out equipment like the JASCON 8, and a crane with a tonnage of 160,” he noted.
He said West African Ventures Limited should start looking at how it could participate in offshore operations because “All the big players in the oil and gas industry] are going to deep water.”
While emphasising that “projects are by competitive bidding” and that NCDMB stands for transparency and professionalism, he was confident that indigenous companies have what it takes to participate effectively in the deepwater space.
Earlier at the occasion, the Managing Director of West African Ventures, Mr. Michael Dumbi Amaeshike, expressed appreciation at the visit by the NCDMB boss and Management, stating that his company has been a service provider in the oil and gas industry for over 40 years, and has been “a showcase for what it takes to have a proud Nigerian company that portrays local content the way it should be.”
He said many personnel occupying critical positions in different subsectors in the oil and gas industry, notably, maritime, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), are products of his company, and that WAV recently completed a major infrastructural project for a marginal field operator.
In an overview of the company’s operations, the Manager, Fabrication, Chimeziri Onwukwe, said WAV is actively involved in the fabrication of platforms, jackets, modules, tanks and many other structures used in the industry.” According to him, “We are not only fabricating but have an offshore base where we provide logistics assistance and load-out to all marine activities.”
