GAS PUMP (WEST AFRICAN GAS PIPELINE (WAGPCO)

Work on the over 600 million dollar West African Gas Pipe Line project (WAGPCO) has been completed and pumping of natural gas is expected to start in December 2007 .

The project runs from Nigeria through Benin , Togo to Ghana and beyond with uncompressed gas .

These were disclosed by the General Manager , Operations, of WAGPCO , Mr Aderemi Oladapo at a stakeholders forum at Tema to address issues bordering on safety to protect life and property when the gas starts flowing .

The forum was attended by operators in the marine sector , ship owners , and representatives from fishing companies and disaster management operators .

Mr Oladapo noted that because of the colossal pressure that will be available in the pipelines , WAGPCO has notified mariners moving into the Gulf of Guinea and also fishing companies to observe the safety regulations instituted to protect the environment , life and property .

He said the WAGPCO has conducted risk assessment of dangers posed by ships and has identified risk areas on the offshore gas pipeline

Mr Oladapo appealed to the stakeholders to support the safety exercise to prevent what would have been a disaster if gas were to be flowing when a pipeline was damaged off shore Benin .

He said that ships sailing across could pass over the pipelines but warned that they should not anchor on them because in all cases life and property will be lost .
Mr Oladapo outlined some other possible causes which could lead to damage to pipelines to be illegal fishing methods by the use of dynamite which could blow up the pipelines , bottom trawling by in-shore fishing boats and sabotage .

He called on them to take all threats serious and report any one who would threaten to sabotage the operation of the pipelines because the lives of the mariners would be in danger .

Mr Oladapo was definite that gas will start pumping on 23rd of December and will arrive in Ghana within four days .



A Technician Operator , Mr Opare Addo Nketsia said in Ghana areas of greatest risk was the main line at Takoradi and the lateral pipeline at Tema in the vicinity of the tanker offloading buoys .

He noted that the Navy was statutorily responsible for the security of the offshore gas pipeline .

Mr Nketsia disclosed that effective August 1st 2007 , WAPCO made it legally binding for anyone who damaged the pipeline to be responsible for repairs and associated cost on it.

He said the cost of repair on the damage at Benin cost WAPCO 25 million dollars emphasizing that it was an expensive venture and therefore needed care from all marine operators and communities near the sites .

Mr Nketsia all the seven technical personnel who have been trained to pump the gas were ready at the pumping stations offshore Kpone