The Nigeria Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) is set to hold its 41st Annual International Conference and Exhibition (AICE), which is the largest gathering of Geoscientists and other stakeholders in the oil and gas space in Sub-Saharan Africa.
NAPE is the umbrella association for persons involved in the professional application of geosciences and related disciplines such as the exploration and production of oil and gas. It has over 12,000 members which cuts across the oil & gas industry as well as academia.
Founded in 1975, the Association’s flagship Annual International Conference and Exhibition is held every year.
Speaking at a press conference organized by NAPE, the President of the association, Mr. Elliot Ibie, said “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, the Advisory Council, and the Executive Committee of NAPE, I am pleased to announce that the Association’s 41st Annual International Conference and Exhibition, which is perhaps the largest gathering of earth scientists and other stakeholders in the oil and gas space in Sub-Saharan Africa, is set to take place in Lagos at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos from the 12th till the 16th of November, 2023.”
The theme of this year’s Conference is “Repositioning the Oil and Gas Industry for Future Energy Dynamics”.
The Opening Ceremony is scheduled to take place on Monday, November 13, Mele Kyari, FNAPE, GCEO of NNPCL will be the Special Guest of Honour.
The Conference will host high-level industry practitioners, key government personnel, and distinguished members of the Academia, delivering technical papers on six (6) sub-themes namely:
Modern Technologies and Advancement for Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Exploration and Production.
Transition to Green Energy in the Petroleum Exploration and Production Space – Policy Framework for Sustainable Security
New Concepts and Methodologies in Geophysics for Exploration and Production
Basin Analysis and Integrated Reservoir Modeling for Petroleum Development and Production
Repositioning and Adapting Geosciences Education Curriculum for Future Energy Dynamics -Manpower Training, Development and Retention
International and Local Energy Business and Investment Landscapes- Regulatory Framework, Financing and Viability
Ibie stated that the rising need for a transition towards more sustainable energy sources, energy poverty, and global geopolitics require strategic re-appraisal of the energy industry in Nigeria.
He said Nigeria has developed an Energy Transition Plan to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060. However, many factors need to be considered and appropriately addressed in the nation’s shift to its sustainable energy future.
According to the NAPE President, “Globally, significant consumers of the hydrocarbon industry are undergoing a massive technological shift towards low or zero-carbon energy usage. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, global politics, in-country security challenges, and asset divestments have exacerbated the impact of energy supply shortage and altered the energy landscape.
“Nigeria’s energy landscape remains characterized by other contending and increasingly relevant issues such as energy insecurity; the dynamics of gas development, commercialization, and monetization; development of Nigeria’s under-explored gas-rich cretaceous basins; and how Nigeria will adapt her policies and diversify her energy portfolio in the energy transition era to achieve sustainable growth for her economy.
“It is against the backdrop of the foregoing that the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) will at its 41st Annual International Conference & Exhibition be deliberating on the petroleum business and the regulatory environment to address the prospects of repositioning the Nigerian oil and gas industry for future energy dynamics, evolving regulations, and geo-environmental strategies in the energy transition era.
The NAPE President stated further that the conference will also be beaming its searchlight on new technology applications for sustainable and environmentally friendly exploration and production, repositioning and adapting geosciences education curriculum for future energy dynamics as well as the international and local energy landscapes.
The event will have four major formats:
The Main Conference: This will be made up of the Pre-Conference Workshop; the All-Convention Luncheon and Management Sessions.
Pre- Conference Workshop
The Pre-Conference Workshop will be held on Monday 6th November 2023, with the theme “Unlocking Nigeria’s Remaining Energy to Fuel Economic Growth and Diversification: Opportunities and Challenges”, with the Keynote Speaker – Mr. Austin Avuru, FNAPE, and the Chairman of AA Holdings.
The Workshop is expected to set the tone for the entire Conference. It is worthy of note that key pieces of legislation such as the Marginal Fields Act and the Deepwater Act were all based on templates that came out of previous NAPE Pre-Conference Workshop Communiqués.
All Convention Luncheon (ACL)
The theme of the event this year is “The Power of the Alumni in University Education in Nigeria” The Keynote Speaker will be Professor Bisi Balogun; former Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Akure, (FUTA). The ACL will take place on Monday, November 13, 2023, from 12:30 pm.
Management Sessions
There will be two Management Sessions this year. The theme of the first session is “Energy Infrastructure Development and Monetization Strategies in Nigeria: Reducing Risk of Entry.” The keynote speaker will be Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC. The session would take place on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, from 9:30 am.
The Special Management Session will take place on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, from 9:30 am with the theme: “40Bbbl/600TCF Reserve Drive and Production Optimization: Challenges, Opportunities and Enablers.” The opening remarks will be delivered by Chief Tunde Afolabi, Chairman, AMNI Petroleum Limited.
Exhibition
The Exhibition will showcase the latest technologies, products, services, and competencies from major IOCs, Indigenous Operators as well Service Companies in the upstream sector of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. There will be a dedicated pavilion for banks/financial institutions, Universities, and other professional associations.
Learning Opportunities
Over 200 technical papers and posters will be presented during the Conference with other learning and networking opportunities including the Young Professionals’ programs, the Pre-Conference Short Courses, and a Virtual Field Trip.
As part of NAPE’s drive to enhance knowledge sharing and enhance collaboration across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, this year’s Conference will feature a Short Course with a non-technical theme – Strategic Communication, Crises, and Stakeholder Management in the Energy Industry.
Social Events/Networking
This year, the Association will be holding a Foundation Dinner on November 6th to recognize the contributions of our Fellows and members towards the NAPE Foundation. The Conference’s social events will continue at the Lakowe Golf Course and Resort with a pre-conference Charity Golf tournament on November 10th.
The Awards & Recognition Night, which is the biggest social event of the Conference takes place on Thursday 16th November, and will recognize individuals, institutions, and corporate entities that have advanced the learning and practice of the geosciences in Nigeria and globally.
Other social events include the African Night, slated for Tuesday 14th November, where we extend the warmth of African hospitality to all conference attendees.
Ibie welcomes prospective participants and stakeholders to this year’s Conference and wishes them the warm hospitality of the association.
Responding to questions from journalists at the press conference, the NAPE President explained that the association supports the ongoing transition and all the goals of the country including a global vision of low carbon emission.
“As an association, NAPE will support the aspect of fossil fuels to achieve its ambition while giving nod to energy transition as enshrined in local and global initiatives,” he added.
On his part, the President-Elect of NAPE, Abiodun Ogunjobi, said: “Energy transition means different things to people across the globe while about 600 million people in Africa are living in darkness due to energy poverty and major concern about fossil fuel is the protection of the environment against carbon emission. But technology has evolved.
“There is a new face of technology known as Carbon, Capture and Storage (CCS), which has been explored by Geoscientists and Geologists all over the world. Therefore, “fossil fuel will remain with us for a very long time.”
“What we are trying to do is to diversify the economy by adding gas as our energy transition.”
On the drop of Nigeria’s daily consumption of fuel by 40% which could lead to less emphasis on fuel as a threat to the oil industry, the NAPE President asserted that since the industry is undergoing transition, there will more development of renewables and level playing field for use of fossil fuels.
Ogunjobi, said the biggest charging station in the world today is powered by diesel driven, “so whether we like it or not we are still going to depend on fossil fuel that will power the generator for Electric Vehicles (EVs), hence it is about diversification.
Giving his perspective, the Publicity Secretary, Mr. Austin Mgbemere submitted that EVs may not be a big threat to the industry. Nigeria and Africa have to get it right before seeing EVs as a challenge. Africa is still struggling with energy poverty. EVs need a charging source and the vehicles are made from byproducts of petroleum.
“if you say fossil fuels should go out in its entirety, how are you going to get the byproducts, materials or resources that will be used to produce the vehicles? Basically, in the future, both fossil fuels and renewable energies are going to play together.
“Already, it is happening both in Nigeria and Africa, where integrated energy companies not just oil and gas are thinking outside the box such that they are pushing renewable and fossils together to make progress.
“The key gain is to drive progress and growth for Nigeria and the continent to be energy sufficient.
“The conference provides an avenue to dialogue with industry experts. Companies are repositioning for energy dynamics and the theme of the conference is to acknowledge them in the energy space.
“Some traditional oil and gas companies are transiting to renewables, “we need to throw more light on those companies, appreciate and applaud them.”