IBADAN, Nigeria (Dow Jones)-Shell Petroleum Development
Company-operated Joint Venture has awarded marine contracts to two
Nigerian firms, a company spokesman said Monday.
Tony Okonedo, SPDC's corporate relations manager said in a
statement that C&I Leasing PLC (CILEASING.LA) and Maiden
Systems Ltd., will provide marine tanker handling and pilotage
services to crude export vessels at Bonny and Forcados terminals in
the Niger Delta.
He didn't give the cost of the contracts but said a key aspect
of them was the building of 11 marine tug boats which will secure
tankers as they load crude oil at the two terminals.
Okonedo added that both companies will also maintain associated
crude loading facilities and undertake offshore terminal emergency
response and surveillance.
SPDC is a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell PLC.
Okonedo said Shell-run companies in Nigeria, last year awarded
contracts worth nearly $892 million to Nigerian firms, representing
85% of the total amount spent on contracts within the period.
He said the contracts were awarded recently in Port Harcourt,
capital of southeast Rivers state, and added that they were part of
Shell's efforts to encourage the participation of indigenous firms
in the country's oil and gas industry.
"The focus of Shell companies is on supporting Nigerians and
Nigerian firms to improve their capacity in a range of oil and gas
industry activities including, design, engineering, exploration and
drilling," Okonedo said.
Nigeria recently announced its Local Content Act, which gives
first consideration to Nigerian indigenous companies in the oil and
gas sector, creating training and employment opportunities for
Nigerians and ensuring that most of the spending in the industry is
kept in the country.
-By Obafemi Oredein, contributing to Dow Jones Neeswires; 234 2
7510489