Seplat Energy Moves to Eliminate Routine Gas Flaring from Onshore Operations
Seplat Energy Plc has challenged operating oil and gas companies to ensure their operations are driven by practical actions, including efficiency improvements, emissions reduction, and credible offsetting strategies. The company said it has embedded those principles into its operations and had exemplified it with the launch of a comprehensive program several years ago to end routine gas flaring across its onshore assets.
The company reaffirmed this commitment after announcing backing for the Nigerian Exchange Group’s newly launched Net-Zero Programme, outlining its approach to responsible oil and gas operations as the NGX moves to position listed companies to attract between $2.5 billion and $3.1 billion in climate-linked capital.
Seplat Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Roger Brown, said the central issue confronting Nigeria’s energy sector is not the continued relevance of oil and gas, but how operators manage environmental, social, and economic responsibilities. “Oil and gas will remain an important part of Nigeria’s energy mix for some time to come. The right conversation is not whether oil and gas should exist, but how operators conduct themselves responsibly,” he said.
Brown, represented by the company’s Director for Gas and New Energy, Okechukwu Mba, disclosed that the company had launched a comprehensive program several years ago to end routine gas flaring across its onshore assets, noting that by the end of last year all projects required to achieve this objective had been delivered and are currently at the commissioning stage. “Very soon, we will be able to clearly state that routine flaring has ended in our onshore operations. This is an important milestone that speaks to our stewardship of the environment, while remaining focused on delivering energy to the nation,” he said.
According to Mba, Seplat has also deployed technology to strengthen operational control, including real-time monitoring of emissions across pipelines, valves, plants, and other critical infrastructure, supported by an asset integrity program designed to detect and eliminate emissions.
Beyond direct operations, the company is pursuing nature-based solutions as part of its emissions management framework. In one of its host communities in Edo State, Seplat Energy has commenced an afforestation program committing to plant millions of trees over a five-year period, with the first phase already completed.
Mba also pointed to the company’s gas and LPG investments as part of efforts to reduce emissions beyond its asset base. He said expanded LPG availability supports a shift away from firewood, charcoal, and other biomass fuels, particularly in communities outside major urban centers. Following Seplat Energy’s offshore acquisition, LPG that was previously exported has now been redirected to the domestic market, improving availability, affordability, and market quality.
Brown stressed that financing remains a major constraint to Nigeria’s energy transition, particularly for gas and gas-to-power projects. He said that while about five gigawatts of electricity currently come from the national grid, a much larger share of power is self-generated through petrol and diesel generators with significantly higher emissions. “If we replace these inefficient power sources with gas-powered energy, we can achieve substantial decarbonization. But without adequate financing, these projects cannot be implemented, and the benefits will not be realized,” he said.
The NGX Net-Zero Programme, unveiled at a high-level climate roundtable in Lagos organized by NGX Group in partnership with DEG, Germany’s development finance institution, and Africa Foresight Group, is designed to support listed companies in defining net-zero pathways, improving climate-related disclosures, and aligning with global investor expectations.
Source: orientalnewsng.com
