Stakeholders in the oil and gas industry have lauded the yeoman efforts of Ghana’s only indigenous upstream energy company, Springfield Exploration and Production Limited (SEP) for being consistent and investing millions of dollars in the industry to create and sustain jobs for Ghanaians.
In their opinion, the fact that Springfield has remained relentless in the face of challenges that usually cause the collapse of others in even less capital-intensive sectors is a testament to the ability of Ghanaians to achieve great feats when given the necessary support.
These were some of the sentiments of Chief Fishermen in the coastal districts of the Western Region and other Institutional role players when the company gathered hundreds of them to share vital information on its ongoing Well-Test and Appraisal of the Afina-1x discovery at the West Cape Three Points Block 2 (WCTP 2) last week.
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The planned test began when the company secured the services of the Northern Oceans’s Deep Sea Bollsta Rig, which is a semi-submersible rig that has an impressive record of drilling in deep to ultra-deep waters. On Thursday, October 17th, the rig arrived at Afina-1x Well and operations have commenced.
The company has invested over US$60 million in the current operations and has assembled some of the industry’s best personnel to ensure a resounding success.
Springfield’s previous success in drilling the Afina Well is the basis for a positive campaign outcome projected to last six weeks. Local and international blue chip operators in the supply chain of the energy sub-sector are part of the latest campaign.
Speaking at the engagement forum, Nana Kweku Amosa, a Fisherman from the Jomoro District praised Mr Kevin Okyere, Chief Executive Officer of Springfield for his visionary leadership and courage in venturing into an area considered to be the preserve of foreigners.
He said what Mr Okyere and his company are doing needs the collective support of all well-meaning Ghanaians and even foreigners to help release the God-given crude oil asset from offshore so it doesn’t become stranded. ‘Ghana needs more money to manage her development and wherever our collective efforts can be concentrated to release our resources for development should be supported’. He emphasized.
He pledged that he would work in concert with others in the fishing industry and his colleagues to support the efforts of Springfield because it is Ghanaian and must be supported to succeed. He further commented that Springfield, being a local company that has contracted the Deep Sea Bollsta Rig is something the local community is very proud of.
Presenting the work programme of the rig to the participants, Mr Kennedy Noonoo, Corporate Affairs Manager of the company said the rig would not stay beyond the stipulated time and appealed to the Chief Fishermen and Fish mongers to share the information with their friends and relations when they returned to their landing beaches.
Officials from GNPC, the Petroleum Commission, the Fisheries Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Marine Police Unit of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Navy were on hand to share advice with the participants and listen to their concerns that need redress.
