The Chairman, Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Managing Director/CEO of Chevron Nigeria, Mr Rick Kennedy has stressed the significance of collaboration between various stakeholders in the industry to develop effective capacities needed to confront the challenges in the sector. He disclosed this while delivering the 3rd quarter PTDF Industry lecture series with the theme “Towards Effective Capacity Building Through Collaboration” to the Management and Staff of PTDF. to the Management and Staff of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).
Speaking on the readiness of OPTS to further deepen collaborative efforts with critical stakeholders in the sector for effective capacity development, he said that “partnership is important, and we will continue our partnering largely where there are specific offers, we would like to hear about it and evaluate the ability to participate directly. It’s been a long partnership and I think we treasure it, and we want to carry that on. A collaboration between PTDF, NCDMB and OPTS”.
The lecture which is the 12th in the series is a continuation of PTDF quarterly Industry lecture series, organized by the Nigerian content and industry collaboration department of the Fund to increase the Fund’s engagement with the industry and to also help staff appreciate development and industry processes through presentations by serving and retired oil and gas experts.
Mr Rick Kennedy in the lecture outlined the various strides undertaken by the OPTS through collaboration with various stakeholders to ensure the development of manpower needed by the industry of which over 600, 000 Nigerians have been absorbed by the industry through its capacity building initiatives.
He applauded the efforts of the PTDF in developing human and institutional capacities over the years and encouraged the Fund to continue in its stride to develop more capabilities in the upstream, mid and downstream, particularly in the fields of geosciences and engineering as more of those resources would be needed to address the challenges and opportunities that are continuously evolving in the sector.
“We believe that fundamental oil and gas activities must continue, we need to continue to develop those resources especially in the Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, we have to continue to develop those in the short, mid and even the long term”.
Mr Kennedy outlined some of the challenges being faced by the sector globally which include those of energy transition, volatile oil prices and increased competition for available funds. He said the Petroleum Industry Act provided opportunities to stimulate employment creation, development of a competitive supplier ecosystem as well as continued investment in the development of more human capabilities.
The Executive Secretary, PTDF, Dr Bello Aliyu Gusau in his remark, thanked the presenter for making out time to share his industry perspective and enlightenments to the staff of the Fund despite his busy schedule, he described OPTS as a very important oil and gas institution that has enjoyed a decade old, mutually beneficial partnership with Nigeria.
He assured the OPTS Chairman that, as the lead capacity building agency of government for the oil and gas industry, the PTDF is well equipped and positioned to continue to play its role of providing trainings and capacity buildings that are significant to the Human and Institutional growth in the industry and expressed hopes in also looking forward to fruitful collaborations with the OPTS.
The Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) is an institution dedicated to promoting the interest of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria with membership of about 28 indigenous and international companies involved in 90% of the Nigerian oil and gas industry production.