Cleaning exercise on offshore Nigeria-Ghana gas pipeline completed - WAPCo

Operators of the West African Gas pipeline, WAPCo began the maintenance exercise on January 20, 2020

Almost one month ahead of the scheduled completion date, the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) has announced the successful completion of the cleaning and inspection of its 569 km offshore gas pipeline from Badagry-Nigeria to Takoradi-Ghana.

In a statement issued by WAPCo on Thursday, a maintenance exercise carried on the 569 km offshore pipeline was completed on February 23, 2020, ahead of the March 20 scheduled date.

The company that is currently only transporting natural gas to Takoradi will resume the transportation of gas to Benin, Togo and Ghana.

The company's General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kwasi Agyeman Prempeh, said, “WAPCo is particularly grateful and wishes to say thank you to the following who have played significant and commendable roles in ensuring the success of the cleaning exercise; Ghana Ministry of Energy, Nigeria Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Benin Ministry of Energy Water and Mines, Togo Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Volta River Authority (VRA), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Shell Overseas Holding Limited, Societe Togolais de Gaz, Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC), Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNGC), Schlumberger, DSV- Rosen and others."

He added that the company can now offer reliable and improved service to its customers after the completion of the pipeline cleaning and inspection exercise.

WAPCo is currently completing expansion works at the Tema Regulating and Metering Station under the Takoradi to Tema Interconnection Project (TTIP). Its completion by March this year is expected to commence gas transportation to Tema.

The customary maintenance and inspection activity was intended to protect the integrity and assure safe operations of WAPCo’s offshore pipeline which is the main critical asset of the company.

Earlier, the Energy Ministry assured that the cleaning and inspection of the gas pipeline from Nigeria to Ghana will not affect electricity supply.

The exercise according to the Ministry of Energy is expected to limit power generation from plants in the Tema enclave which mostly rely on gas.