Commissioner Explains Bauchi, Gombe Delegation’s Visit to Kolmani Oil Project Site
By Ahmad Saka, Bauchi
The Gombe State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Alhaji Sanusi Ahmad Pindiga, has shed light on the recent visit by officials of Bauchi and Gombe States to the Kolmani Oil Field project site. The visit, he explained, was necessitated by complaints from host communities concerning the alleged dismantling and relocation of oil drilling rigs from the Kolmani project area to another site outside the states.
Speaking in a telephone interview with journalists, Commissioner Pindiga said the visit was initiated after local communities raised concerns over the movement of equipment. “The host communities were worried and pleaded for intervention. I contacted the Field Base Manager, who invited us for an on-the-spot assessment. I immediately informed the Bauchi State Commissioner of Natural Resources, and together with high-powered delegations from both states, we visited the site.”
Upon arrival at the Kolmani project site, the delegation was received warmly by representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Africa Oilfield Movers Limited (AOML), the contractor handling the project.
“They clarified that the rig being dismantled had completed its drilling tasks. It’s a small rig, and a larger rig is now required for the re-entry and drilling of Kolmani River (KR) wells—specifically KR2, KR3, and KR4,” Pindiga stated.
He added that the small rig had already drilled over 10,000 meters and cleared two drilling fields on the Bauchi side, where the new, larger rig will be deployed. On the Gombe side, he said, a new road was constructed to access three cleared fields ready for casing and drilling.
According to Pindiga, two wells have been completed on the Bauchi side, both with confirmed deposits, while three wells have already been drilled on the Gombe side.
“The team was taken around the site, and we confirmed that operations were ongoing and progressing well,” he assured.
In separate remarks, both commissioners called for deeper engagement with key stakeholders and urged communities to remain calm. “We commend the management of NNPCL for giving a fair hearing to the affected states. We pledge to brief our respective governors with full details of the visit,” Pindiga said.
The Kolmani Oil Field, straddling the border between Bauchi and Gombe States, was first inaugurated in 2022 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, marking a historic milestone as the first oil exploration venture in northern Nigeria.
Following the expiration of the previous license, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently approved the issuance of all critical regulatory licenses for the Kolmani Integrated Development Project. The project, spearheaded by NNPCL, aims to activate dormant oil platforms and boost national crude production.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, recently disclosed that crude from Kolmani has been factored into Nigeria’s projected production targets. “We are currently drilling 1.8 million barrels per day and aim to reach two million barrels by the end of the year. Kolmani will play a significant role in achieving this target,” he said.
According to NNPCL, the Kolmani field is projected to yield over one billion barrels of crude oil and 500 billion standard cubic feet of gas in its first reservoir. There are also prospects for up to 19 billion barrels of oil with further exploration.
Under the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) framework, NNPCL is the concessionaire of Oil Prospecting Licenses (OPLs) 809 and 810, while its subsidiaries—NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) and the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC)—serve as contractor parties. The consortium is partnered with Africa Oilfield Movers Ltd (AOML) for funding and technical execution, with cost recovery tied to future oil profits.
The integrated development plan includes an in-situ refinery with a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day, a 500 million scf/day gas processing plant, a 300MW power plant, and a 2,500 tons-per-day fertilizer plant. A downstream oil terminal and distribution depot are also planned.
Historically, Shell and Chevron were the first companies to explore the Kolmani blocks in the 1990s, but both deemed the discoveries sub-commercial due to the landlocked location and logistics challenges. The blocks were returned and later awarded to NNDC in 2005.
It wasn’t until 2017 that serious exploration resumed with advanced hydrocarbon detection technologies, leading to the successful drilling of Kolmani River II, III, and IV wells and the confirmation of large reserves.
With renewed federal backing and active state participation, the Kolmani project is poised to become a cornerstone of Nigeria’s future energy and economic strategy.
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