Varsity explores oil in Bida, Sokoto

The Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State, has begun another round of oil and gas exploration research in the Bida and Sokoto Basins

Th is was disclosed at a two-day workshop with titled “Bida and Sokoto Basins Hydrocarbon Exploration Research,” organised by the university at Minna

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that this was announced in a statement signed by Prof Nuhu Obaje, Project Technical Coordinator of the University Research Centre on Wednesday

Obaje said that the university had already conducted research studies on the two basins and submitted its finding to the Presidency, the NNPC, DPR and the Niger Government

He said the nation should diversify its economy, even though could not wish oil and gas away

Obaje said that countries and companies that succeeded in the oil and gas industry, recording huge discoveries, were backed by applied and innovative research, including the deployment of universities with demonstrable competencies

He said that it took several years for the fi rst drop of commercial oil to be found in the Niger Delta, starting from 1908 when the Nigerian Bitumen Company ventured into that business

According to him, it is therefore not out of place to continue to search for more oil and gas in the other basins outside the Niger Delta for just over the past few years

The coordinator said this was the fi rst time Nigerian intellectuals were being challenged to fi nd oil for Nigeria, in partnership with its rebranded national oil company

Also, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Muhammad Maiturare, described IBBU as a modern, outward-looking institution, committed to engaging “with the major issues of our times”

“Our research strategy commits us to addressing national development challenges that when resolved, will promote economic growth and the well-being of the citizenry

” Maiturare said that the university had made national and international impacts on research outputs in oil and gas and mineral resource development

The other areas, he added, were renewable energy, food security and biotechnology development as well as in many areas of sustainable physical environments

According to him, the Bida Basin Hydrocarbon Exploration Research started at IBBU sometime in 2010

Th e vice chancellor reiterated the commitment of the university to the research, aimed at expanding the national hydrocarbon reserve base through possible additional bookings in the inland frontier basins

He, however, said to achieve the overall objective, the university would need the collaboration of scholars of goodwill and that for this reason resource persons were selectively invited to brainstorm on the presentations at the workshop

Maiturare said the university was also working collaboratively with geologists from the Federal University of Technology, Minna and the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto

Source: NAN

 

 

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