Emma Okonji
Chevron Nigeria Limited has restated its commitment to support the World Environment Day, which is being celebrated today globally as the biggest event to promote environmental awareness and sustainability across the globe.
Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972, it aims to raise global awareness and mobilise people to take positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth.
This global event has since become the principal vehicle through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness about the environment. It also gives a human perspective to environmental issues, empowers people to become active agents of sustainable development and advocates multi-stakeholder partnerships in support of the environment.
“Air Pollution,” the theme for World Environment Day 2019, is a potential environmental risk that can impact people as well as the environment. Available statistics show that air pollution is the fourth-largest threat to human health, behind high blood pressure, dietary risks and smoking. The World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows that there were an estimated 6.5 million deaths worldwide from air pollution-related diseases in 2012.
Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), the operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and CNL (NNPC/CNL JV), said it would continue to conduct its business in a socially and environmentally responsible manner in compliance with regulatory requirements, best practices and has made environmental stewardship part of its social investment programs.
Explaining CNL’s commitment to the environment, its Chairman/Managing Director, Jeff Ewing, said: “CNL is happy to be part of the solution to global environmental issues wherever the company operates through its sound environmental management policy that supports environmental stewardship and sustainable development.”
According to Ewing, “CNL has in place a company-wide operational excellence management system that delivers industry-leading performance in process safety, personal safety and health, environment, reliability and efficiency. CNL has a record of responsible environmental stewardship everywhere it operates and has also established enduring partnerships with governments, non–governmental organisations, business organisations and communities. CNL has been supporting and sponsoring various programs aimed at preserving the environment. These partnerships and efforts have been recognised and applauded within and outside Nigeria.”
In protecting the environment and helping to manage air emissions, CNL has invested extensively in projects aimed at eliminating routine flares from its operations and establishing a profitable gas business through a range of domestic, regional and export supply projects. These projects help fulfill NNPC/CNL JV’s Domestic Gas Supply Obligation and support the Nigerian Gas Master Plan. These projects include the Escravos Gas Plant, the Escravos Gas-to-Liquids plant, Sonam Gas Development and the Abiteye and Makaraba Non-Associated Gas Development. Through investments in gathering and processing associated gas, routine flaring has been reduced by over 90% from 2008 to date in CNL’s operations, Ewing said.
According to him, “CNL’s environmental stewardship process lays the foundation for sound environmental management. The identification, assessment and management of environmental risks is captured through the entire project cycle from inception to operations to decommissioning. CNL recognizes the importance of minimizing our environmental footprint and preserving biodiversity and the NNPC/CNL JV strives continually to achieve world class environmental excellence by assessing and reducing potential impacts on the environment arising from its operations.”
