By Seyi Odewale
Africa Gas Transport Company Limited (AfricaGTC), backed by Dutch clean-energy company Energy Ventures B.V., is set to launch a pilot project aimed at capturing Nigeria’s flared gas and converting it into usable energy.
The initiative, known as FlareOut, will begin at the Agbada-2 site near Port Harcourt, where AfricaGTC plans to capture, process and utilise associated gas that would otherwise be flared.
AfricaGTC, the Nigerian subsidiary of Energy Ventures, was established to develop the FlareOut project and build local partnerships for its implementation.
A team from Energy Ventures is expected in Nigeria this week for a visit to the project site, discussions with executives of the Port Harcourt Distribution Company Limited and meetings with officials of the Ministry of Power in Abuja.
The Director of AfricaGTC, Herbert Okibe, said the engagement was aimed at developing partnerships to demonstrate the economic and energy potential of gas currently being wasted through flaring.
“Our engagement this week is about building the partnerships needed to demonstrate how gas that is routinely flared can be converted into clean energy, economic value and tangible benefits for Nigerian communities,” Okibe said.
The Managing Director of Afrinvest Capital, Jessica Essien, said the visit would also draw the attention of energy stakeholders, regulators and investors to the FlareOut investment opportunity.
According to the companies, the technology is designed to produce electricity and liquefied petroleum gas for communities with limited access to clean energy.
The project is also expected to generate carbon-credit revenues, which the promoters said could improve the commercial viability of FlareOut projects and encourage wider adoption.
Energy Ventures said its broader activities focus on recovering energy from waste gas destined for flaring, biowaste and waste heat from industrial and power processes.
AfricaGTC is registered with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) to develop the FlareOut pilot project in Nigeria.
The initiative comes amid efforts to reduce gas flaring while expanding domestic energy supply and improving access to cleaner cooking and electricity.
For AfricaGTC and its Dutch partner, the pilot represents an attempt to turn an environmental challenge into an energy and investment opportunity, with the success of the Agbada-2 project expected to determine the prospects for wider deployment in Nigeria.
