By Francis Ajuonuma
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and TotalEnergies have renewed their partnership to deploy advanced methane detection technology across upstream oil and gas operations for another 24 months.
The move is aimed at reducing emissions, curbing gas flaring and strengthening the sustainability of Nigeria’s energy sector.
The agreement extends the deployment of the Airborne Ultralight Spectrometer for Environmental Applications (AUSEA), a drone-based technology used to detect, measure and reduce methane and carbon emissions from oil and gas facilities.
The renewed partnership is expected to support NNPC Ltd’s decarbonisation goals, improve environmental compliance and enhance operational efficiency as Nigeria seeks to maximise value from its vast gas resources while meeting global climate commitments.
The agreement was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by NNPC Ltd’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh.
It was signed at the NNPC Towers in Abuja by NNPC’s Executive Vice President, Upstream, Udy Ntia, and TotalEnergies Country Chair and Managing Director, Matthieu Bouyer.
NNPC said the initiative aligns with its commitments under the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter (OGDC), participation in the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) 2.0 and its target of achieving near-zero methane emissions by 2030.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ntia described the agreement as a significant milestone in the national oil company’s drive to strengthen emissions management across its operations.
“Today’s signing represents a practical step in NNPC Limited’s journey to build a credible, transparent and action-oriented decarbonisation programme. Through the AUSEA initiative, we are strengthening our ability to detect, quantify and prioritise methane abatement opportunities using advanced measurement technology,” he said.
Ntia expressed satisfaction with the results recorded during the first phase of the project and called for the technology to be deployed across more assets.
He also advocated the institutionalisation of progress reporting in line with compliance requirements and stressed the need to explore technology transfer opportunities to build local capacity.
Methane emissions have become a major focus for global energy companies and regulators because of their impact on climate change. Industry analysts say reducing methane leaks and gas flaring can improve operational efficiency and boost revenue by capturing gas that would otherwise be lost.
For Nigeria, which holds the largest proven natural gas reserves in Africa, improved methane management is increasingly viewed as critical to achieving its gas commercialisation and energy transition objectives.
On his part, TotalEnergies Senior Vice President for Africa, Mike Sangster, said the company remained committed to supporting emissions-reduction efforts in Nigeria.
“TotalEnergies was the first oil-producing company in Nigeria to end gas flaring in all its assets, and the AUSEA technology was instrumental to that achievement. We look forward to achieving near-zero methane emissions by 2030,” Sangster said.
Developed by TotalEnergies in partnership with the French National Centre for Scientific Research and the University of Reims, AUSEA enables operators to identify previously undetected emission sources, improve reporting accuracy and implement corrective actions.
The technology also provides data to assess flare combustion efficiency and enhance environmental performance.
Energy experts say the renewed collaboration could strengthen investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector as global financiers increasingly prioritise environmental, social and governance standards in investment decisions.
They note that improved emissions monitoring and reduction could help position Nigeria’s energy industry more competitively in an increasingly carbon-conscious global market.
