WorldStage– The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is partnering with the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) to strengthen radiological safety in oil and gas operations and reduce the overall cost of operations.
This was the outcome of a meeting between the Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, and the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NNRA, Dr. Yau Idris, at the NUPRC headquarters recently.
While the NUPRC regulates the technical, commercial and operational aspects of oil and gas exploration and production, the NNRA oversees the possession, use, transportation and disposal of radioactive sources, while also facilitating the beneficial use of radiation technologies across various sectors of the economy.
In her remarks, the Commission Chief Executive said there was a need to address regulatory gaps and the multiplicity of rules and regulations in the oil and gas industry to improve the ease of doing business.
“The only way we can safeguard investments is to reduce our cost of operations. When you have a multiplicity of laws, the likelihood is that you will have higher costs because each law normally comes with its own fees and charges,” the NUPRC boss said.
Eyesan nominated senior officials from the Commission to work closely with the NNRA on the task ahead.
“We have identified critical areas on both sides, and we believe that through collaboration, we can close existing gaps,” she said.
Responding, the Director-General of the NNRA stated that, given that the upstream petroleum sector is one of the largest users of radioactive sources and ionising radiation-emitting equipment in Nigeria particularly for well logging, industrial radiography and nucleonic gauging the NNRA relies on the cooperation of the NUPRC to fulfil its mandate.
“The goal is a single-window approach, where both agencies share information rather than requiring operators to submit the same data twice,” he said.
Idris further stated that, since oil and gas extraction often brings Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) to the surface, the NNRA seeks the Commission’s support to ensure that operators conduct radiological impact assessments as part of their broader Environmental Impact Assessments.
He added that NORM management protocols should also be incorporated into the NUPRC’s environmental guidelines for the upstream sector.
Both institutions are also expected to collaborate on training and knowledge sharing in the areas of radiation protection and safe operations.
