International oil major, TotalEnergies Nigeria, is laying claim to have ended routine gas flaring in Nigeria this year.

None other than the Managing Director, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Mr. Mike Sangster, made the claim at the International Oil Companies (IOC) panel session during the Sub Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) on Wednesday in Lagos State, South-West Nigeria.

SAIPEC) was organised by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN)

Sangster, represented by the Deputy Managing Director, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria, Mr. Victor Bandele, said that the company had come to stay in Nigeria in terms of gas exploration and production.

Sangster, who also in-charge of the Deepwater Assets of Total Upstream Companies of Nigeria, explained that TotalEnergies plays active and important role in gas exploration in Nigeria.

He urged government to create the enabling environment for gas exploration across Africa.

Total, according to him, changed its name to TotalEnergies to incorporate the entities of the future.

He noted that the company had diversified into solar energy business in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Sangster said: “We are identifying new opportunities in Nigeria. TotalEnergies is also playing active role in marketing and production as it has 550 filling stations in Nigeria.”

He described Africa as a part of the world that needs energy the most.

“Our company is always committed to working with the government and other stakeholders to actualise the Nigerian Government’s goal of net zero emission by 2060.

“TotalEnergies’ own target for net zero is 2050. Our path to net zero will involve investment in renewable energies; investments in gas developments as it will serve as transition energy,’’ he said.

Sangster said that the company targeted producing low emission oil as it eliminated routine gas flaring in its operations.

He stated further: “Our plastic recycling plant in Port Harcourt eliminates about 750, 000 cubits of C02 (carbon dioxide) annually, which is equivalent to planning 4,500 trees.

“We have made important investments locally in these areas and implemented several initiatives that are already impacting the Nigerian energy landscape positively.

“In recent years, our projects in Nigeria have been sanctioned with the objective of driving down our green-house gas emissions; and pursuing a zero-flare principle on all our new projects as is evident with OML58 upgrade, Ofon phase two, Egina, and Ikike.

“Our investment in the NLNG (Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas) from the beginning till now is partly derived from our commitment to the production of cleaner and better energy.

“Out of our over 530 service stations across the country, more than 112 have been solarised. It’s an ongoing programme and our target is to ensure that our stations become fully solarised. We have also deployed over 150 residential solar solutions across the country.’’

Quoting Global Lighting Off-grid Association estimates, Sangster said that over 1.5 million people in Nigeria had been impacted from sale of 400,000 TotalEnergies solar lamps since 2013.

He added 10 million people had been impacted worldwide.