By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
NIGERIA: The Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Dr. Henry Adebowale Adimula, has made a wake-up call to oil and gas institutes to engage in research that will tackle Africa’s challenges on energy.
Hinting that PTI has decided to focus on research in key areas to develop local content capacity in oil and gas technology in Nigeria, he urged other similar institutes in the continent to follow the lead.
Journalists at the conference
Dr Adimula made the call during a World Press Conference to mark the institute’s 50th anniversary celebration held at PTI Council Chamber in Effurun, Delta State on Friday.
In attendance were principal officers of the institute including Director of Energy Center, Dr. Michael Adeniji, Registrar, Mr. Onobrorhie Siakpere, Ag. Director of Library & Information Technology, Mrs Abigail Oghene, Director of Finance & Accounts, Mr. Gordon Akpoduado, Director of Science, Dr. Bamidele Oyetunde, Technical Asst to the Principal, Mr. Isaac Akorede, Deputy Director, Academics, Mrs Florence Jobo, and PTI Legal Officer, Barr. Anderlin, among others.
Dr Adimula urged Africans not to hasten in abandoning fossil fuels, but to engender more research and expand local technologies to meet the high global demand for the element.
Journalists and officials of PTI
“The Institute intends to focus research in this key area to develop local content capacity in oil technology to enable our country to achieve some independence in the design and production of technology for the oil industry.
“This endeavour is all the more critical since the foreign expertise we solely rely on for our oil and gas potential has developed a sudden apathy for the exploitation of the hydrocarbons in the wake of the allurement of the energy transmission.
“This serves as a wake-up call for our indigenous Institutes to engage in research in order to develop local production technology in the oil and gas industry to address Africa’s perennial challenges of poverty and energy shortages.
“It is our considered opinion that Africa should not hasten to abandon fossil fuel but should strive to deepen research and development of local technologies that enable the exploitation and beneficiation of our oil and gas endowment in a more environmentally friendly manner as the reality of global demand for fossil fuel is expected to linger for the next 50 years.
Dr Henry Adebowale Adimula
“Today, we are confronted with the grim reality that only a few African countries have been able to master a certain aspect of oil production technology but none can research, design and fabricate key machinery for the industry.
“This endeavour is all the more critical since the foreign expertise we solely rely on for our oil and gas potential have developed a sudden apathy for the exploitation of the hydrocarbons in the wake of the allurement of the energy transmission,” he posited.
Enumerating the institute’s achievements over the last five decades, Adimula said that PTI has graduated over 50,000 technologists, technicians and other personnel in the oil and gas sector.
He also mentioned that the institute is fully engaged in the manpower development for deep offshore diving and deep offshore operations through the brace of specialised courses in underwater operations, among other things.
“From its establishment in 1972 till date, the Institute has graduated well over 50 thousand technologists and technicians and other technical personnel in various areas in oil and gas and allied industry operations.
“Our alumni members can be gleaned not only in Nigeria but across the globe playing major roles in the management and operations in the oil and gas and allied industry.
“Our graduates continue to be the most preferred choice for employment in companies across sectors related and not related to the oil and gas industry by virtue of the high quality conferred on them through vigorous training and education which place them at a decisive advantage over other candidates.
“The Institute is equally fully engaged in the manpower development for deep offshore diving and deep offshore operations through the mounting of specialised courses in underwater operations.
“In this regard, it is gladdening to inform you that the Institute had embarked upon the Divers Medic Training Program (DMT) to technicians engaged in underwater operations through collaboration with JFD a specialised Diving Institute in the UK, Shell Nigerian Exploration Company Limited (SNEPCO) and the mediation effort of NCDMB.
“PTI is also in a collaboration with Benel Energy for Certification training in drilling and well control under the auspices of the International Well Control Forum (IWCF).
“There would be commencement of national skill qualification program by the Institute and commencement of Certification program on Health, Safety and Environment through the signing of memorandum of understanding with Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON).
“We are also on the training of Over 3,000 personnel in oil and gas companies on contemporary skills development through booster course program and in collaboration with Dangote Oil Refinery Company for training of its staff,” he further disclosed.
Meanwhile, the PTI’s 50th anniversary celebration begins October 13, 2022 with a one-day conference/award night at the PTDF complex in Abuja, continuing from October 21 and culminating in the institute’s convocation ceremony on October 29, 2022.
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