(Ecofin Agency) - The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and some international oil companies (IOCs) are ready to improve gas supply by inaugurating four gas projects across the country.

According to the government, these projects will begin operation in a few months to come, as an overall 855 Mmscf/d of gas will be added to domestic gas supply in the short term.

“The NNPC announced the forecasted completion and inauguration of four infrastructure projects by the NPDC and IOCs to improve gas supply to power plants over the next few months through September 30, 2016. A total of 855 Mmsfcd is expected to be added to the domestic gas supply in the short term of which about 70 per cent is sent to power plants for use in generation. It is estimated that the increase in gas supply to power plants will increase generation capacity by approximately 2,000 megawatts by the middle of 2017,” the government said in a communique.

The government is also encouraging oil and gas producers to explore better means of re-injection to increase oil production by using water rather than gas. In this way, the amount of gas available for domestic consumption will increase, Punch news reports.

Anita Fatunji