Export data: DPR to sanction defaulting oil firms over failure to upload production data

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Thursday threatened to sanction oil producing companies which failed to upload its oil production data on the DPR platform.

Mr Ahmad Shakur, the acting Director of the department, gave the warning at a sensitization workshop organised by DPR on National Production Monitoring System (NPSM) for oil and gas operators in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 75 compliance officers from the oil and gas firms attended the workshop.

Shakur, represented by Mr Akpomudjere Okiemute, Assistant Director, Management Branch of Upstream Sector of DPR, said the purpose was to ensure full compliance to production and export data.

Shakur said that a collective platform would deepen stakeholders’ understanding of the operations and relevance of NPMS to the public.

According to him, oil and gas account for about 90 per cent of Nigeria’s revenue and it is, therefore, essential that the national government, through the DPR, have firm grip on oil and gas production, transfers to terminals and exports.

`The NPMS is a web-based platform that provides rapid and efficient electronic data collection database and reporting system which replaced the paper-based reporting,” he said.

Besides, Shakur said the NPMS facilitates production surveillance, production data analysis and forecasting.

According to him, it also gives potential investors to Nigeria high confidence and assurance to invest in the industry because it is transparent.

He said that it had increased Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and its inherent micro and macro-economic benefits.

Shakur said that it was expected that all oil producing companies complied to enable the department effect a comprehensive real time reporting of the nation’s daily production status to the government.

He said that companies were also required to submit their well test, lifting reports, daily associated gas and non-gas associated production reports and terminal reports, among others.

“We have observed over the years that some companies are yet to comply fully with the data submission via the NPMS portal in contravention of the provisions of the Petroleum (Drilling and Production) regulations of 1969 as amended.

“The agency has set up a compliance team with the task to monitor and ensure full compliance with data submission via the platform.

“Operating companies are invited to submit two compliance officers dedicated to handle NPMS mater to ensure continuous upload of production data into the platform as required,” he said. (NAN)