Reps Call For Transparent, Responsible Decommissioning In Oil Sector

Torkwase Nyiekaa

The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) on Thursday held a public hearing on the National Commission for Decommissioning of Oil and Gas Installations (NC-DOGI) Bill, 2024, designed to establish a regulatory framework for the safe and sustainable decommissioning of petroleum facilities across Nigeria.

Declaring the hearing open at the Conference Room 028 of the House of Representatives New Building, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa (OON), said the proposed legislation reflects Parliament’s resolve to balance economic growth in the oil and gas sector with environmental protection and the welfare of host communities.

He explained that the public hearing was convened to provide a transparent and inclusive platform for stakeholders to make inputs that will guide the House in taking an informed decision on the Bill.

“This public hearing is not an investigative exercise, nor is it intended to predetermine the outcome of the legislative process,” Doguwa stated. “Our duty is to listen objectively, collate all viewpoints, and carefully evaluate them before making recommendations to the House.”

The lawmaker described the NC-DOGI Bill as a leadership-sponsored initiative of the House, aimed at addressing long-standing challenges in the decommissioning and abandonment of oil and gas facilities, issues that have continued to generate environmental, economic, and social concerns, particularly in host communities.

According to Doguwa, while the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) already provides for decommissioning and abandonment under Sections 232 and 233, assigning roles to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the hearing offers an opportunity to evaluate whether the existing framework is sufficient or if a dedicated commission would better serve national interests.

He added that the Committee invited key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Federal Ministry of Environment, the NUPRC, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), oil and gas operators, civil society groups, and academia to present evidence-based submissions.

“We encourage all participants to engage constructively and provide well-informed perspectives that can help shape a balanced and effective decommissioning framework for our oil and gas industry,” he said.

Doguwa commended stakeholders for honouring the Committee’s invitation and for their continued commitment to sustainable national development.