(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Executive-Secretary-of-Petroleum-Technology-Development-Fund-Oluwole-Oluleye-300x192.jpg) The Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Oluwole Oluleye has reiterated that overseas scholarships comprising 761 masters and 116 doctorate degrees have been provided to Nigerians in order to build the country's capacity in the oil and gas sector.
He made this statement at the 2013 Ministerial Platform held at the National Press Centre, Abuja on Friday, July 26, 2013 explaining that 81 lecturers from PTDF upgraded Departments were trained in the UK and France; 202 industry personnel in overseas and 259 locally.
Oluleye disclosed that "32 security officers were trained on how to secure oil and gas installation and 300 teachers were trained in the country. 500 personnel were trained at the International Institute of Welding (IIW) in tube welding.
Other capacity building endeavours which PTDF is undertaking include the training of 700 personnel, trained on fillet welding at the International Institute of Welding; 11 Nigerians trained to international certification at the renowned Underwater Welding Institute (INPP), Marseille in France and 15 Nigerians trained to international certification at the French Institute of Petroleum in France. Nine of the trainees, he noted were unemployed are currently undergoing a post-training attachment programme at the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in Benin-City, Edo State.
The Executive Secretary further said that "The PTDF Post Amnesty Capacity Building Programme has offered scholarship to 50 youths who are presently undergoing 3 years BSc training in Oil and Gas and related programmes in Malaysia. Under the PTDF Post Amnesty Vocational Skill Training Programme, 120 youths commenced training in 2012 in Cotonou; whilst 97 students have graduated in May, 2013 and 23 are still undertaking the training", he stated.
Oluwole disclosed that 20 students are undergoing private pilot license and commercial pilot license training in South Africa with specialized skills in air surveillance security for oil and gas platforms and pipelines.
Under the PTDF/UNITAR Special Training & Educational Scheme, he said strategic partnership has been engaged with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to train 60 Nigerian youths in Norway on seafaring, maritime security and subsea engineering and 70 Nigerian youths have commenced the Bachelor of Science Studies in the Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology and Guangzhou City Construction College in China.
He also said,"Five researchers were awarded scholarship under the PTDF Annual Oil and Gas Research Grant in 2011 to carry out research in oil and gas relating to mock development of fuel briquette from water hyacinth cow-dung mixture; immobilized oil degrading micro-organisms in local cellulosic materials for rapid deployment in bioremediation of petroleum contaminated soils, hydrocarbon source rock evaluation in the cretaceous to neogene basins of Southern Nigeria and their implication for Niger Delta petroleum systems.
Also, the development of bentonite minerals as drilling mud in the petroleum industry; development of novel technology for diagnosing and remediating problems associated with oil fields, reservoir souring and corrosion in the petroleum industry as well as development of biofuel technology from locally sourced cellulosic materials were intensified as part of the research endeavours of PTDF, Oluwole said.
"To ensure institutional development, university upgrade projects spread across the country was initiated to provide quality indigenous capacity for the oil and gas industry comprising buildings, books, ICT, laboratory equipment and journals."
He said, "New institutions were also established including the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe with construction at 90% completion; the Federal Polytechnic, Bonny with infrastructures progressed at 54% completion and the National Institute of Petroleum Policy and Strategy, Kaduna", the Executive Secretary reiterated.
Institutions upgraded are the Petroleum Training Institute in Effurun; the Centre for Skills Development and Training in Port Harcourt with provision made for a heavy skill industrial training centre and residential buildings for staff.
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Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria