How Batoil Has Enriched the Oil &Gas Sector through Local Content Delivery

Committed to offering quality ser- vices delivery to Oil, Gas, Power and Infrastructure sectors of the economy within Nigeria and the African coun- tries at large, Batoil Services Nigeria Limited has been championing Local Content Delivery against all odds. From Hydrography to Offshore and Onshore Survey, Positioning and Nav- igation, Seabed Survey and Geotech- nical Investigation as well as Marine Offshore  Operations, writes that these services by Batoil have enriched the Local Content Drive

When Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, opined that local content is Africa’s route to eco- nomic development, it was on the premise that for the continent to achieve economic prosperity, it must develop local capabilities to process, utilise, and export their resources as a means of powering their growth and development.

For Nigeria, the same holds true. In fact, the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act was adopted by the Nigerian govern- ment, and it mandates that operators give preference to Nigerian products, services, and employees to foster the growth of local content in the oil and gas sector.

Its benefits are far reaching given that Local Content supports the devel- opment of the skills and capabilities of local firms. In simple terms, local content refers to the use of local skills and materials in constructing and/or maintaining an asset or service.

Prior to this, local capacities in key areas of the oil and industry such as engineering, procurement, construction and fabrication, installation, commissioning, and operation were sorely lacking or even inadequate and the results were loss of job creation opportunities, revenues, skills acqui- sition, and other aspects of national development.

A further negative impact is that those broad categories took a signif- icant proportion of the oil and gas in- dustry expenditure, hence it became expedient for oil-producing nations to develop local capabilities that would ensure that those financial outlays are retained in-country.

Therefore, having made local content a national agenda backed with the appropriate legislation or legal frame- work, it gave entrance to a whole new world of indigenous companies offer- ing the much-needed services in the oil and gas sector.

At the moment, the implementation of the 10-year Strategic Roadmap, which started in 2018, is ongoing with the goal of raising the level of Nigerian Content in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry to 70 per cent by the year 2027 and as at the end of year 2022, and five years into the 10-year jour- ney, 54 per cent of Nigerian Content level has been achieved as against the target of 42 per cent.

Keying into Local Content the Batoil Way

One of the indigenous companies who have keyed into the Local Content drive is Batoil Services Nigeria Limited. Set up by seasoned profes- sionals who had put up individually more than 23 years’ experience in their various engineering fields, the company was incorporated in 2003 with efficient and experienced vision- ary managers and technical personnel run the day – to – day activity of the company.

For Batoil, keying into Local Content means more work for Nigerians, as well as more use of made in Nigeria goods and services, thus curbing capi- tal flight and giving boost to the economy.

Strategic Directives

For Batoil, its Strategic Directives are anchored and encapsulated on its vision, mission and values-three ethos that drive it to offer the best services to its teeming clientele.

With the vision to be the preferred company known for excellent deliv- ery of services and consistently exceed expectations, Batoil prides on offering high quality services to the Oil, Gas, Power and Infrastructure Sector of the economy within Nige- ria and the African countries at large.

To champion this, they take a collab- orative team approach and commit- ment to enhancing systems and pro- cedures from lessons learned.

Holistic Services

Upon its establishment, it was pre- mised to offer quality technical services in the field of Engineering Survey (Route Survey, Hydrographic Survey, Positioning Engineering, Ge- otechnical and Geophysical Investigation Survey, Environmental Hazard Investigation, Corrosion Control Survey and Corrosion Engineering, Technical Supplies, Quality Control Inspection and Testing of Equipment ROV).

Recently, they added marine off- shore operation to their services in order to provide more value to their clients with the acquisition of marine vessels.

Giving a further breakdown of ser- vices offered under the Brownfield Development, Batoil offers the Sub- sea Umbilical, Riser and Flowline In- stallation and Construction, as well as Loadout, Transportation, Storage, Installation and Pre- Commissioning.

Not done, they also offer services like Vessel Chartering under which Construction & ROV Support Vessels,

Offshore Support & Supply Sea, as well as Sea Fastening Design, Instal- lation and Removal fall under.

In terms of Subsea Solutions, they Inspect, Repair, Maintain & Drill Sup- port, just as they provide ROV Sys- tems, Equipment & Personnel Spe- cialised ROV Tooling in addition to 450HP Water Jet Trencher for Sub- sea Trenching. This is coupled with Subsea Construction and Interven- tion, Subsea Integrity Management, as well as Survey and Positioning.

Also, under the Well Services, Ba- toil offers Coiled Tubing, Tophole & Ridges Drilling, Wireline  Services,Wellbore Cleanout Tools, Chemicals and Associated Services.

In Topographical and Hydrographic Survey, services like the GPS, Tra- versing, Detailing, Levelling, Bathymetry Survey, Offshore (Civil Survey), Construc- tion/As-built Survey, Hydrographic Survey, Seabed/Geophysical Survey, Marine Survey/Metocean & Ocean- ography Survey, Navigation Survey, Positioning Survey, Offshore Structure Positioning and Construction Survey, Construction/As-built Sur- vey and EIA Survey are available.

In Geotechnical/soil Investigation Services, they offer Soil Investiga- tion/Geotechnical Survey, Soil Boring and Sampling, Cone Pen- etrometer Test, Laboratory Analysis, Foundation Design and Sand Search.

Aside from the Environmental En- gineering Services which includes EIA, Environmental Survey and En- vironmental Audit, Batoil also offers Consultancy in the sector as well as Subsea Facility Survey & Inspection Services.

This  entails  Major/Minor  Turn-around Maintenance Optimisation Services, Quality Control Inspection and Testing of Equipment (ROV), Subsea Construction & Installation, Inspection, Repair, & Maintenance, Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) Support services, Subsea Trenching Services, Vessel Chartering, Proj- ect Management, and Engineering Services as well as Procurements of Technical Tools through their offshore facilitators.

Navigating the Sector

Nigeria population estimated at over 200million people with projection to grow larger is readily accessible to in- terested investors.

However, the business environment is challenging, particularly in the oil and gas sector with the present current exchange rate. Relatively, equipment require for oil services and produc- tion could be quite difficult to acquire as most of the tools are manufactured in overseas, thereby require huge capital to acquire them.

Unique Strengths

Notwithstanding the inherent chal- lenges in the sector, Batoil’s unique strengths have helped them turn the tide in delivering quality services.

While churning out these much-needed services, Batoil also boasts of its timely delivery in meeting deadlines as well as giving value for money spent.

With its advance technology and equipment, coupled with excellent staff and good internal communica- tion, plus its in-depth understanding of the market and competitors, as well as innovative strategies, Batoil has been servicing its loyal customer base to the best of its abilities.

Prospects for the Future

For the company, its key derivatives are simple to sustain its market share in the long run as one of the preferred indigenous companies in Nigeria, they are geared to create room for expan- sion in all sectors of its business oper- ations.

Essentially, in becoming one of Afri- can’s preferred oil and gas company for customers, business and employ- ers, delivery of services, they are out to consistently exceed expectations.

But how would they pull this off? For Batoil, basking in the euphoria of past achievements would not do them any good, rather they intend to explore more in the competitive market, work harder to achieve more and also meet the quest for more business success.

In carrying out these, they also intend to create more job opportunities due to expansion and innovation in all sec- tors of Batoil services.

Inevitably, they intend to achieve more in the coming years given its commitment to o offering quality ser- vices delivery to Oil, Gas, Power and Infrastructure sectors of the econ- omy within Nigeria and the African countries at large.