Crude oil exploration at Kolmani Oil Field has been abandoned since the presidential inauguration was done in 2022 by the administration of President Muhammad u Buhari.
Recall that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, in partnership with New Nigeria Development Company, started drilling crude oil at two oil blocks in Kolmani Oil Field, OPL809 and OPL810 accordingly.
The Kolmani Oil Field which traversed both Bauchi and Gombe states, was pegged at about one billion barrels of crude oil deposit and about 500bcf.and exploration on the field was expected to last up to 2060.
The oil blocks were projected to generate about 50,000 barrels of crude oil every day but a resident of the Kolmani area who does not want to be identified said that drilling on the site was suspended since the presidential inauguration and nothing tangible has been done.
“About a year ago, we saw how NNPCL moved most of the drilling equipment to Nasarawa State but since then nothing has been going on here. Some of the equipment was taken to Lake Chad, leaving Kolmani with virtually nothing,” he emphasised.
Of the five oil wells in Kolmani, only about two were developed.
Similarly, a bridge linking Kolmani communities with the outside world collapsed due to the movement of heavy-duty machines.
“About a few days ago, personnel from Sterling Global were seen trying to fix the bridge which raised our hope that exploration activities may soon continue. They have fixed the pillars of the bridge and, as I speak with you, a crane can be sighted working to lift the beams of the bridge,” he said.
Leadership newspaper reports that the Kolmani Oil Field boosts proactive security measures. Teams of personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Nigerian Army protect the area.
It also said both the NNPCL and Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources did not respond to enquiries about the abandonment of Kolmani oil exploration.
The Government of Bauchi State said it has provided an enabling environment for smooth operations for exploration project. State Commissioner for Natural Resources, Bello Maiwada said Bauchi authorities have been engaging with relevant stakeholders at the federal government level to expedite crude oil exploration in Kolmani.
“Issues that concern crude oil exploration are matters in the exclusive list of powers of the federal government, as such we don’t have much to say about crude oil exploration.
“However, as a state, we are stakeholders in the process because we are the host community. Virtually, every move we are going to make will naturally be from this position,” he said.
The commissioner noted that while no significant progress has been made since the commencement of the drilling at Kolmani by former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Bauchi State Government has provided an enabling environment required for full-scale crude oil exploration.
“In terms of security, personnel of the company responsible for developing the field can work and move freely in the area without fear for their safety and that of their equipment because adequate security measures have been put in place
