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From the Niger Delta to Kuala Lumpur: I Need Your Support to Share Our Story

By Olowo Lazarus posted 10 days ago
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By Mr. Olowo Osaize Lazarus, Petroleum Engineer and Independent Petroleum Technologist When I began my journey in petroleum engineering, I never imagined that insights from the complex, mature fields of the Niger Delta would take me to an international stage in Kuala Lumpur. Yet here I am—grateful, humbled, and energized to share our story with the global SPE community. A Privilege to Present—And a Call for Partnership I am deeply honored that the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has selected me to present at the SPE Workshop: Strengthening Marginal and Mature Field Ecosystems, taking place 21–22 April 2026 in Malaysia. This isn't ...
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From the Niger Delta to Kuala Lumpur: Sharing Lessons on Revitalizing Mature Fields

By Olowo Lazarus posted 10 days ago
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When I began my journey in petroleum engineering, I never imagined that insights from the complex, mature fields of the Niger Delta would one day take me to an international stage in Kuala Lumpur. Yet here I am—grateful, humbled, and energized to share our story with the global SPE community. A Privilege to Present I am deeply honored that the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has selected me to present at the SPE Workshop: Strengthening Marginal and Mature Field Ecosystems: Technology, Innovation, and Collaboration, taking place from 21–22 April 2026 in Malaysia. This isn't just a speaking opportunity. It's a testament to SPE's commitment to ...
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The Compliance Twin: How Real-Time Digital Monitoring is Reshaping Environmental Accountability in Nigeria's Oil Sector

By Olowo Lazarus posted 10 days ago
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In December 2025, a routine satellite pass over the Niger Delta detected a methane plume that ground-based sensors missed entirely. Within 48 hours, NUPRC had issued a notice of violation. The operator's defense—'our meters showed compliance'—was dismissed. The era of measurement uncertainty as legal shield is ending. As NUPRC deploys AI-powered surveillance and penalties reach 2.00 per thousand cubic feet, digital twins offer operators a path from regulatory burden to competitive advantage The Enforcement Revolution In December 2025, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) ended the era of tolerated gas flaring. Under the Petroleum ...
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SPE North America Hydrogen Symposium 2026!

By Phaneendra Kondapi posted 10 days ago
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Get ready for the SPE North America Hydrogen Symposium 2026! Monday April 20, 2026 at Oxy Towers, Woodlands, Texas Just 4 days away! Hurry up to register - Limited Seats! For more details, Sponsorships, Agenda and Registration: https://lnkd.in/gHNk-G77 Post | Feed | LinkedIn Sponsored by Oxy and hosted by SPE Hydrogen Technical Section (SPE H2TS) in collaboration with Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE GCS Gulf Coast Section , we’re bringing together an elite lineup of speakers delivering critical updates and insights into the evolving hydrogen landscape. Don’t miss out on the future of energy! ...
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The 31st JFES Symposium (Oct 7-9, 2026 - JOGMEC TRC)

By Kohei Miura posted 11 days ago
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Japan Formation Evaluation Society (JFES), a chapter of SPWLA, will have the 31st Formation Evaluation Symposium of Japan Meeting on 7th, 8th & 9th October 2026. SPE Japan Section is pleased to cooperate and share information of the symposium as attached. Please find the link below for more detail. 【Deadline Extended】Call for Abstracts Now Open | Formation Evaluation Symposium of Japan 2026│JFES Thank you.
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The Reskilling Imperative: How Nigeria's Oil Sector Can Turn AI Displacement into a Talent Dividend

By Olowo Lazarus posted 12 days ago
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As automation threatens to displace thousands, a strategic approach to human capital could position Nigerian engineers as global leaders in the AI-powered energy transition. When Emmanuel, a maintenance technician with 15 years at a Port Harcourt flow station, saw the first AI-powered predictive maintenance dashboard, he didn't see a threat—he saw a foreign interface he couldn't navigate. Six months later, after completing an NCDMB-sponsored reskilling program, he's now training younger engineers on interpreting anomaly detection outputs. Emmanuel's transition isn't luck; it's a template. The Automation Wave Hits the Niger Delta In ...
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2026 Awards + Application Link

By Lacey Zuhoski posted 13 days ago
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Award applications are separate from the annual report. The award application deadline is 1 June . (Annual reports will now be collected later in the year due to SPE's fiscal year change.) Sections may only apply for one of the categories below. Technical Dissemination and Professional Development Community Involvement Member Recognition and Appreciation Student Support Contents of the application may only focus on the specific category chosen . Do not include activities outside of the selected category. For example, do not discuss technical lectures if you select the Community Involvement category. Activities listed in the application ...
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The Cyber-Physical Trap: How Digital Twins Become Weapons in Nigeria's Oil Theft Corridor

By Olowo Lazarus posted 13 days ago
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As NNPC declares victory over pipeline vandalism, a stealthier threat emerges—hackers weaponizing the very sensors meant to protect production The Victory That Hides a Vulnerability In June 2025, Nigeria achieved what seemed impossible: 100% crude oil pipeline availability for the first time in two decades . NNPC's Group CEO Bashir Ojulari proudly reported that pipeline and terminal receipts hit "close to 100%," with production surging from 960,000 bpd in 2022 to 1.84 million bpd peak in 2025 . The integrated energy security framework—combining community surveillance, military operations, and private security—appeared to have broken the back of the ...
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The "Bonga Protocol": Architecting Bandwidth-Resilient Digital Twins for Nigeria's Deepwater Frontier

By Olowo Lazarus posted 14 days ago
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How Shell's 5 billion Bonga North expansion is forcing a reinvention of edge intelligence for subsea fields where connectivity is a luxury, not a guarantee The Connectivity Paradox of Deepwater Nigeria In December 2024, Shell took Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Bonga North deepwater development—a 5 billion subsea tieback that will add 110,000 boe/d to Nigeria's production by 2030 . This isn't just another offshore project. It represents a critical inflection point: as international majors retreat from onshore Niger Delta insecurity, they're doubling down on deepwater assets that are technically complex but operationally safer . Yet here's ...
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The Refinery Paradox: Why Saudi Arabia Captures $18 Billion Annually from Downstream While Nigeria Ships Its Wealth Abroad

By Olowo Lazarus posted 15 days ago
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Saudi Aramco and Nigeria's NNPC both sit atop massive crude reserves. One built an empire refining its oil. The other built a treadmill exporting it. The difference isn't geology—it's governance. In August 2023, the United Arab Emirates quietly completed a transaction that should have made Nigerian policymakers weep. ADNOC sold one million barrels of crude to Indian Oil Corporation—not in dollars, but in a direct rupee-dirham swap [1]. This was not charity. It was strategy. The UAE, like Saudi Arabia before it, has realized that the true value of petroleum isn't extracted from the wellhead—it is captured in the refinery. Meanwhile, in Lagos, Africa's ...
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Nigeria Must Rise: A Wake-Up Call for Africa’s Oil Giant in the Face of Global Energy Disruptions

By Olowo Lazarus posted 18 days ago
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The recent restrictions and heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have once again exposed the fragility of global energy supply chains. As one of the world’s most critical chokepoints, the Strait handles nearly 20% of global oil trade. Any disruption sends shockwaves across markets — pushing crude prices above $100 per barrel, inflating refined product costs, and threatening energy security, especially for import-dependent regions like Africa. For Nigeria — Africa’s largest crude oil producer and holder of the continent’s largest refinery capacity — this episode should serve as a stark wake-up call. Despite our vast hydrocarbon resources, Nigeria ...
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Natural Hydrogen: A Geological Novelty Or A Game Changer for the Energy Transition?

By Avelinus Shaanika posted 18 days ago
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Don’t miss this SPE Distinguished Lecturer! Natural Hydrogen: A Geological Novelty Or A Game Changer for the Energy Transition? By: Chris Atkinson 11:00 AM Thursday, May 14, 2026 NAMCOR Head Office, 1 Aviation Road, Windhoek Windhoek Section Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/vze-icgp-vfh "An Extra 45 Minutes Can Provide a World of Knowledge..." Distinguished Lecturer Events Attendee Evaluation Form
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Offshore Exploration Expansion in Uruguay: Strategic Partnerships and Emerging South Atlantic Potential

By Bruno Mapurunga posted 24 days ago
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Recent developments in offshore exploration activities in Uruguay highlight the growing interest of major international operators in the South Atlantic region. Chevron and QatarEnergy have acquired participation in two offshore explo ration blocks, OFF-2 and OFF-7, previously held by Shell, which remains the operator. In OFF-2, QatarEnergy holds a 30% stake, while Shell retains 70%. In OFF-7, QatarEnergy and Chevron each hold 30%, with Shell maintaining a 40% interest. The entry of new partners reinforces the strategic relevance of Uruguay’s offshore sector and reflects increasing confidence in the hydrocarbon potential of the region. Multiple ...
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Digital Drilling Automation and Its Impact on Well Construction Efficiency

By Bruno Mapurunga posted 24 days ago
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Recent developments in drilling automation highlight the increasing role of digital technologies in offshore operations. The acquisition of Sekal by Halliburton represents a strategic step toward integrating automation systems with real-time drilling operations. By combining automated control with remote operations and advanced digital systems, the integration enables continuous optimization of drilling activities. The system supports automated control of drilling operations by integrating well positioning, well hydraulics, and rig operations in real time. This level of integration allows more precise execution and improved operational efficiency during well ...
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The Divestment Gap: Why Operational Excellence is the Only Survival Strategy for Nigerian Indigenous Oil

By Olowo Lazarus posted 29 days ago
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By Lazarus Olowo Osaize, Petroleum Engineering Technologist The landscape of the Niger Delta’s oil and gas sector is undergoing a tectonic shift. As Multinational Oil Companies (IOCs) divest their onshore assets, a new era of indigenous operation is dawning. However, this transition presents a profound challenge—what I call the "Divestment Gap." The gap is not merely one of ownership; it is a gap in the continuity of operational excellence. For decades, the standard approach was often focused on pure output. But for the new generation of indigenous oil leaders, that model is a recipe for stranded investments and long-term instability. To succeed, these ...
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SPE North America Hydrogen Symposium 2026 by SPE H2TS

By Phaneendra Kondapi posted 03-26-2026
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SPE Hydrogen Technical Section (SPE H2TS) in association with Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE GCS Gulf Coast Section organizing a very informative "SPE North America Hydrogen Symposium 2026" on Monday April 20, 2026 at OXY Towers in Woodlands, Texas. The distinguished speakers list include: Prasenjeet Ghosh , ExxonMobil David Dankworth , ExxonMobil Christine Economides , University of Houston Paul Doucette , University of Houston Pedram Fanailoo , DNV Dr.-Ing. Ibrahim K. Muritala , American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Seema Santhakumar , Baker ...
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SPE North America Hydrogen Symposium 2026 by SPE H2TS

By Phaneendra Kondapi posted 03-26-2026
1 person likes this.
SPE Hydrogen Technical Section (SPE H2TS) in association with Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE GCS Gulf Coast Section organizing a very informative "SPE North America Hydrogen Symposium 2026" on Monday April 20, 2026 at OXY Towers in Woodlands, Texas. The distinguished speakers list include: Prasenjeet Ghosh , ExxonMobil David Dankworth , ExxonMobil Christine Economides , University of Houston Paul Doucette , University of Houston Pedram Fanailoo , DNV Dr.-Ing. Ibrahim K. Muritala , American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Seema Santhakumar , Baker ...
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SPE North America Hydrogen Symposium 2026 by SPE H2TS

By Phaneendra Kondapi posted 03-26-2026
Be the first person to like this.
SPE Hydrogen Technical Section (SPE H2TS) in association with Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE GCS Gulf Coast Section organizing a very informative "SPE North America Hydrogen Symposium 2026" on Monday April 20, 2026 at OXY Towers in Woodlands, Texas. The distinguished speakers list include: Prasenjeet Ghosh , ExxonMobil David Dankworth , ExxonMobil Christine Economides , University of Houston Paul Doucette , University of Houston Pedram Fanailoo , DNV Dr.-Ing. Ibrahim K. Muritala , American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Seema Santhakumar , Baker ...
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SPE North America Hydrogen Symposium 2026 by SPE H2TS

By Phaneendra Kondapi posted 03-26-2026
Be the first person to like this.
SPE Hydrogen Technical Section (SPE H2TS) in association with Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE GCS Gulf Coast Section organizing a very informative "SPE North America Hydrogen Symposium 2026" on Monday April 20, 2026 at OXY Towers in Woodlands, Texas. The distinguished speakers list include: Prasenjeet Ghosh , ExxonMobil David Dankworth , ExxonMobil Christine Economides , University of Houston Paul Doucette , University of Houston Pedram Fanailoo , DNV Dr.-Ing. Ibrahim K. Muritala , American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Seema Santhakumar , Baker ...
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The Future of Well Intervention: Cutting-Edge Technologies Transforming Oil & Gas Operations

By Olowo Lazarus posted 03-26-2026
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Executive Summary The well intervention sector is experiencing a technological renaissance driven by the dual imperatives of maximizing recovery from mature fields and reducing operational costs and environmental impact. With the global well intervention market valued at approximately 12.3 billion and projected to grow steadily through 2030, innovations in riserless systems, electromechanical tools, digital integration, and machine learning are fundamentally reshaping how operators maintain and enhance well productivity . 1. Riserless Light Well Intervention (RLWI): Revolutionizing Subsea Operations Perhaps the most transformative ...
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