Shell lauds FG over Oloibiri museum
Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited is excited about the planned construction of the Olobiri Museum and Research Centre in Otuabagi, Ogbia Local Council, Bayelsa State.
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, and the Bayelsa State Government are working together to build the Olobiri Museum and Research Centre.
In a statement, SPDC's Managing Director, Osagie Okunbor, described the project as historic and expressed hope that when completed, the center would foster research and development of technologies for the country's energy industry.
Okunbor recalled that Oloibiri was the first place where commercial quantities of crude oil were discovered, catapulting Nigeria into the ranks of oil-producing nations.
He urged the people of Oloibiri to own, protect, and be proud of the facility's historical and future significance, while also taking advantage of the many opportunities it will provide.
"This is history in the making, and the SPDC Joint Venture is proud to be a part of it," he said. Indeed, Nigeria's energy story has returned! Shell launched the first chapter in Nigeria's energy history here in 1958.
"The first commercial find of hydrocarbons was here in Oloibiri, as was the subsequent first export of oil, which propelled Nigeria into the league of oil producers."
"As a result, the SPDC JV applauds the Federal Executive Council's effort in the step-by-step approach that has culminated in the approval for construction and contract award to develop the Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre."
When completed, the museum and research center, he says, will be a one-stop shop in the heart of the Niger Delta for the development of energy-related technologies.
"I expect the center to grow to collaborate with relevant academic institutions in the Niger Delta and beyond, to further the much-needed handshake between Nigeria's energy industry and academia," he added.
Meanwhile, the NCDMB's Executive Secretary, Engr Simbi Wabote, stated that the center would correct a historical oversight that lasted several decades, during which the people of Bayelsa State complained that they had nothing to show for being the birthplace of Nigerian oil and gas production.
"Mr President approved the establishment of the Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre as one of his signature programs that will leave lasting legacies and impact the oil and gas community, the people of the Niger Delta, and indeed the entire country," he said.
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