Niger drills 7 shallow oil wells, sets for Bida Basin oil exploration

Gov. Sanni Bello

By Hammed Salawu, Minna

The Niger state Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Hajiya Ramatu YuarAdua has explained that seven shallow oil wells drilled in parts of the state have confirmed the presence of high quantity and quality of hydro carbon in its quest for oil exploration in the Bida Basin.

The commissioner stated this in Minna  in a press briefing after the meeting of the state executive council meeting.

She said that the executive council has approved the payment of N145m out of N380m bill presented by a consultant oil firm that carried out the technical job that established workable data bank on the presence of oil in the basin

According to her, two investors based in United Kingdom and Canada have expressed interest in doing the seismic data analysis to come out with blocs before handing over to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

YarAdua explained that the shallow wells were established in the villages of Gulu, Bakani, Makera, Kudu, Enagi, Kutigi and Kontagora, adding that “the government is happy about this good news”.

She said that the consultant firm actually improved on the earlier research work done by a team of researchers from the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai.

The commissioner expressed the hope that NNPC will refund the money expended by the state government when it take over the exploration of oil in the basin.