(Ecofin Agency) - The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) plans to boost domestic gas supply to 3 billion standard cubic feet per day (scf/d) by the end of 2017 and 7 billion scf/d by 2020.

Domestic gas supply from the corporation as at January was at 1.3Bscf/d. By the end of June, the supply fell by more than 100% to 500 million standard cubic feet per day as a result of the renewed attacks on pipelines by the Niger Delta militants in the Delta region.However, in order to increase industrial activities, NNPC is seeking an increase in gas supplies from international oil companies from their current 2.460 Billion scf/d to 2.985 Billion scf/d.NNPC is also targeting 1.895 bscf/d of gas from its subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), and also a regaining of 1.605bscf/d upon the completion of repairs on vandalized pipes.

The nation’s oil company is currently accelerating the construction of the Obiafo/Obrikom/Oben (OB3) pipeline which is 70% complete and expected to be completed by Q4 of 2017, as well as the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) Phase 2, which is 76% complete and expected to be concluded by Q3 of 2017, Energy Mix reports.

Anita Fatunji