NNPC completes River Niger crossing of OB3 gas pipeline

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it has completed the River Niger crossing of the 130-kilometre Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipeline.

In a statement on Thursday, the company said the milestone was achieved by its subsidiary, the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company, marking a key step in expanding Nigeria’s gas transmission network.

NNPC said the crossing unlocks the full capacity of the OB3 pipeline, which is designed to transport up to 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.

The company added that the project would enhance energy availability, improve supply reliability, and accelerate economic development.

“Executed approximately two kilometres beneath the River Niger riverbed, the technically complex crossing was delivered by the NNPC project team working with PCE Nig. Limited, using advanced horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology,” the statement reads.

Commending the achievement, Bayo Ojulari, group chief executive officer (GCEO) of NNPC Limited, described the milestone as a testament to disciplined execution and technical excellence.

“The completion of the OB3 River Niger Crossing is a defining milestone for Nigeria’s gas infrastructure and a clear demonstration of what disciplined execution and sustained commitment to excellence can deliver,” the NNPC boss said.

“By successfully traversing one of the most technically challenging sections of the project, we have unlocked a critical link that will enhance gas supply reliability, deepen domestic utilisation, and support power generation and industrial growth across the country.”

Ojulari noted that the achievement builds on NNPC Limited’s growing engineering and execution capability, drawing from the successful AKK River Niger crossing in June 2025, to deliver an even more complex crossing in the Niger Delta environment.

“This achievement is not incidental. It is the result of deliberately leveraging and upscaling our AKK engineering and execution excellence through rigorous project governance, innovative engineering solutions, adaptive problem-solving, and the unwavering commitment of our teams and PCE Nig. Limited,” he said.

The NNPC chief added that the OB3 pipeline is central to the company’s ambition of building an integrated and resilient gas network that underpins Nigeria’s energy security and economic development.

“I commend everyone involved for their doggedness and for staying the course to deliver this strategic national asset,” Ojulari added.

The GCEO also acknowledged the support of key stakeholders, including the federal government under President Bola Tinubu, noting that its gas-to-prosperity agenda and commitment to conducive business environment contributed to the project’s success.

He said the company remains committed to leveraging Nigeria’s oil and gas resources to improve living standards, adding that it will continue to partner stakeholders to expand energy access and support industrialisation.

Ojulari said the milestone aligns with the federal government’s target of increasing oil production to 3 million barrels per day and gas output to 12 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2030.

NNPC Limited announced in August 2025 that the OB3 gas pipeline project has been inaugurated.(TheCable)